JI defers Islamabad long march, to finalise date on Friday

JI chief says govt using international oil prices to justify keeping fuel prices high while collecting petroleum levy

LAHORE:

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Thursday announced that the party had deferred its call for a long march to Islamabad by one day, saying the central leadership would make the final decision on Friday and announce it at a public gathering in Gujranwala.

Addressing participants at the JI sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly, which entered its 26th day, Rehman said the government had already been given sufficient time to respond to the party’s demands and that there would be no further delay. He warned that failure to provide relief could lead to a countrywide march and eventually a movement to remove the government.

He said JI leaders from across the country had been summoned to Mansoora for a meeting at 3pm on Friday to finalise the long march date. A major public gathering would be held in Gujranwala on Friday where the decision would be announced.

🚨 حافظ نعیم الرحمن امیر جماعت اسلامی پاکستان نے حکومت کو ایک دن کی مہلت دے دی.#بھتہ_لیوی_ختم_کرنا_پڑے_گا pic.twitter.com/6hmyGUMRu9

— Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) September 10, 2026

Rehman said two rounds of talks with the government had produced no concrete progress. He said the government was seeking more time to consult relevant departments over the petroleum levy, but JI could not allow negotiations to continue indefinitely.

Read: JI to widen protest if demands not met

The JI chief said the government was using international oil prices to justify keeping petroleum prices high while continuing to collect the petroleum levy from consumers. He demanded an end to the levy and said the burden was affecting all sections of society.

He also criticised government expenditure, saying rulers, bureaucrats and senior officials should reduce the use of expensive vehicles and free fuel. He said the government had been given several proposals to cut non-essential spending.

On interest rates, Rehman said Pakistan had witnessed 38% inflation when the interest rate stood at 22%. He argued that reducing the interest rate would not increase inflation but would reduce the profits of powerful business groups. He demanded an immediate three-percentage-point cut in the interest rate.

He criticised successive governments, including the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), for supporting greater autonomy for the State Bank, saying JI had opposed the decision.

Rehman also urged opposition parties to speak out against the petroleum levy and inflation. He said he had contacted Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over the issue. Fazl supported JI’s campaign and called for a joint opposition voice on public issues, while Afridi said the federal government should provide relief on the petroleum levy.

The JI chief said protests were continuing at 35 locations across the country and warned that the party would intensify its campaign if the government failed to provide relief. He said JI could also launch a movement to remove the government if public demands were ignored.

26 دن 30 مقامات ایک آواز — لیوی بھتہ نامنظور!
ملک بھر میں 30 مقامات پر دھرنے جاری ہیں۔
حافظ نعیم الرحمٰن اور جماعتِ اسلامی کا مطالبہ واضح ہے — عوام کو ریلیف دو، پیٹرولیم لیوی ختم کرو!#PetroleumLevyNaManzoor #HafizNaeem #JamaatEIslami#بھتہ_لیوی_ختم_کرنا_پڑے_گا pic.twitter.com/qb7BW6AC3T

— Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) September 10, 2026

He said the party was prepared for any government action and that its workers would move towards Islamabad if necessary.

Meanwhile, JI central leader Liaquat Baloch, speaking after the second round of talks with the government team at Punjab House in Islamabad, said the party had presented its six demands and sought the abolition of the petroleum levy.

جماعت اسلامی کا وفد مذاکرات کرنے کے لیے پنجاب ہاوس پہنچ گیا#ExpressNews #BreakingNews #LatestNews #JammateIslami pic.twitter.com/u9JNEvPAiL

— Express News (@ExpressNewsPK) September 10, 2026

He said the government had asked for more time to consider the demands, but had not given a clear response. Baloch said JI did not want to create difficulties for the government in dealing with major economic issues, but negotiations could not be prolonged indefinitely.

Read More: JI submits six proposals to govt for abolishing petroleum levy

He said the government could create fiscal space for public relief by reducing oil refinery margins and cutting the interest rate by three percentage points. If relief was not provided, he warned, the sit-ins across the country could turn into a march towards Islamabad.