JI launches 3rd phase of protest

Party holds sit-ins, rallies across K-P districts, vows to continue movement until govt provides relief

PESHAWAR:

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has launched the third phase of its nationwide protest movement against increases in petroleum product prices and what it termed an unjust petroleum levy, holding sit-ins, rallies and public gatherings across several districts of central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday.

The protests were organised on the call of JI Pakistan amir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman. Demonstrations were held in Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Charsadda and Khyber, where party leaders warned that the movement would continue until the government abolished the petroleum levy and provided meaningful relief to the public.

In Peshawar, a sit-in was staged at Hashtnagri Chowk under the leadership of district amir Bahrullah Khan Advocate. In Mardan, the protest outside the Press Club was led by JI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Central amir Abdul Wasi and district amir Ghulam Rasool.

A sit-in was organised at Shobra Chowk in Nowshera under the leadership of provincial deputy emir Khalid Waqas and district emir Haji Inayatur Rehman. In Swabi, a protest rally was held at Aman Chowk under the leadership of district amir Mufti Murad Ahmed, Saeedzada Yousafzai and Wajid Ali Shah Advocate.

In Khyber, a rally was led by provincial deputy amir Mian Sohaibuddin Kakakhel and district emir Shah Faisal Afridi, while a public gathering was held at Farooq Azam Chowk in Charsadda under the leadership of district emir Shah Hussain Advocate.

Addressing the gatherings, the JI leaders said repeated increases in petroleum prices had fuelled inflation, while the deteriorating law and order situation and prolonged electricity and gas load-shedding had made life increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens.

They alleged that, following the imposition of governor's rule in the province, the government had launched anti-encroachment operations to divert public attention from pressing issues. They demanded that those who had facilitated illegal encroachments be identified and that government officials and personnel involved in the practice also face action.