JI urges parliament to abolish petroleum levy

Hafiz Naeem calls on parties to unite against inflation

LAHORE:

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has urged parliamentary party leaders and lawmakers to legislate to withdraw the government's authority to set the petroleum levy, arguing that parliament's delegation of this power weakens its constitutional role.

He has also called for a united political response to rising inflation and warned that governor's rule and the imposition of emergency measures in 12 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could deepen the province's political crisis.

In a letter to the heads and members of parliamentary parties, Hafiz Naeem said the petroleum levy was affecting multiple sectors of the economy, including food, agriculture, transport and industry.

He urged all parliamentary parties to rise above their political affiliations and work together to provide the public with relief from inflation.

The JI chief argued that the revenue shortfall resulting from a reduction in the petroleum levy could be offset by curbing unnecessary government expenditure and eliminating financial irregularities.

He called on political parties to devise a joint strategy to ease the burden of inflation on the public and abolish the levy.

Expressing concern over the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Hafiz Naeem said the province was already facing uncertainty. The imposition of governor's rule and the declaration of an emergency in 12 districts, he warned, could further aggravate the political crisis.

He called on all political parties to unite to protect the constitutional and democratic order in K-P, stressing that the province's problems should be resolved in accordance with the Constitution, the law and democratic principles.

In his letter, the JI emir urged parliamentary parties to rise above their political differences and play a collective role in securing the abolition of the petroleum levy, reducing inflation and safeguarding the democratic system.