Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif telephoned Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman late on Monday and urged the party to postpone its protest until he returns to the country from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly.
According to a JI spokesperson, the prime minister’s offer came as the long march reached Multan from Karachi via train. He said the prime minister had said he was ready for meaningful talks with the JI on the petroleum levy, adding the JI chief had said the party did not desire any law and order issue or confrontation with the government.
However, he said, the JI had resorted to demonstrations to raise public concerns about the taxation on fuel. Rehman told the prime minister he would consult with the party’s central decision-making council before responding to his request to postpone the march. He stressed that even if the march is postponed, the party would not end its right to protest.
Reportedly, the prime minister has informed the JI chief that he plans to introduce a more comprehensive relief package upon his return to Pakistan. Several reports indicate the government is considering abolishing the petroleum levy for a year amidst the Middle East crisis, but this could not be independently verified.
Upon reaching Multan, the JI chief addressed supporters at the train station, regretting a delay of four hours. “Those who conspired should see how many people came out to welcome us in Multan,” he said, adding people are separately protesting in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He said the march would now move through southern Punjab before entering central Punjab and proceeding toward Islamabad.
Reiterating the demand for the government to withdraw the “unfair” tax on petroleum products and provide relief to the public, he said is this happens, the party would have no problem with ending its demonstrations. He emphasized that the party’s protests aimed to raise awareness of the issues facing the poor and middle-class, regretting that political parties are not adequately addressing these issues.
During his speech, he criticized “inconsistent” government policies on sugar imports and exports and recalled that the party’s previous campaign over IPPs had led to a reduction in electricity bills.