LAHORE (Kashmir English): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP) organised a protest against the increase in the prices of petroleum products and the petroleum levy, blocking major roads nationwide, including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Peshawar.
Addressing the protesters in Lahore, the Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, announced a march towards the Chief Minister’s House in Lahore and a protest sit-in in front of the Governor House in all four provinces on Sunday.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that the system has admitted its failure, adding that all these people have come together because inflation has been imposed on them.
JI chief added that they increased the price of petrol and also increased the tax.
“The government did not reduce the prices of petroleum products in the country when they fell in the global market. They have so far collected a levy of Rs8000 billion, hiding their incompetence and corruption,” he said.
Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami demanded that the price of petrol be brought down to Rs 225 and the levy be abolished and taxes be reduced.
“This protest was just a trailer; the day after tomorrow, on Sunday, Jamaat-e-Islami will march towards CM Punjab House,” Hafiz said, adding that this historic struggle has started.
“On Sunday, there will be a protest sit-in in front of the Chief Minister’s and Governor’s House in all four provinces.”
He stated that our workers were arrested in different areas, including Wazirabad and Gujranwala. “We will come the day after tomorrow with full force.”
The opposition party workers today gathered at the designated sit-in locations in Lahore, including Qurtaba Chowk, where JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman addressed a sit-in.
Due to the protest, Ferozepur Road, Jail Road, Liton Road, Bahawalpur Road and Queens Road also remained closed for traffic in Lahore.
According to Jamaat-e-Islami, protests were held at 510 locations in 170 districts across the country.
In Islamabad, a demonstration was held at Chungi No. 26, where JI Deputy Emir Liaqat Baloch was present. The party claimed some clashes broke out between police and protesters during the demonstration.
In Sindh, protesters also staged sit-ins in Thatta, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Shikarpur, Khairpur and other districts. Protests were also held in Rawalpindi, Quetta, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Abbottabad, Malakand and other cities.
