JI to march on Islamabad in mid-November if govt fails to end petroleum levy: Hafiz Naeem

Says party will continue campaign until government abolishes levy; demands withdrawal of K-P emergency

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Monday warned that his party would march towards Islamabad in mid-November if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy and provide relief to the public.

He also condemned the imposition of an emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), describing it as a violation of human rights, and demanded its withdrawal.

Speaking at a press conference at Mansoorah, Naeem said JI would continue its campaign against the petroleum levy until the government accepted its demands. He acknowledged that the government had provided some relief in petroleum prices following the party’s protests but maintained that the measures were insufficient.

لاہور: امیر جماعت اسلامی پاکستان حافظ نعیم الرحمان پیٹرولیم لیوی کے حوالے سے اہم پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب https://t.co/AIkPjaT319

— Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) October 26, 2026

The JI chief said government ministers had again contacted the party’s negotiating committee, but the party remained firm on its demand for the complete abolition of the levy.

He added that he would make an important announcement on the evening of his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif if progress was made towards providing relief to the public.

Criticising the government’s economic policies, Hafiz Naeem said the tax burden on ordinary citizens was increasing while the profits of certain business groups continued to rise.

Read More: JI laments inflation, tax burden

He called for a reduction in the profit margins of oil refineries and oil marketing companies so that consumers could benefit from lower fuel costs. He also demanded a reduction in the policy rate and measures to eliminate interest-based economic practices.

Turning to the judicial system, the JI chief said millions of cases were pending in courts and alleged that the 26th Constitutional Amendment had weakened the judiciary.

He maintained that extrajudicial killings could not resolve the country’s systemic problems and criticised the government for failing to formulate effective policies to provide relief to ordinary citizens.

On Palestine, Naeem said the destruction caused by Israel in Gaza had resulted in food shortages, while global powers and Muslim countries had failed to play an effective role in addressing the crisis.

He questioned the role of Muslim rulers and the Peace Board in supporting Palestinians, calling for a stronger international voice in defence of their rights and greater unity among Muslim countries.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s campaign against the petroleum levy intensified in August, when the party organised demonstrations and sit-ins across the country against rising fuel prices, inflation and what it described as an additional tax burden on consumers. On August 16, JI workers staged sit-ins outside governors’ houses in the provincial capitals, demanding the withdrawal of the levy and a reduction in petrol prices.

The party subsequently expanded its protests to other cities, including Karachi, where it established additional protest camps across Sindh. JI maintained that the government should abolish the levy rather than offer limited reductions in fuel prices.

On September 3, the government and JI agreed to establish technical committees to examine proposals for reducing the petroleum levy and fuel prices. During the first round of negotiations on September 7, the party submitted six proposals to the government, while insisting that its protests would continue until meaningful relief was provided.

However, the negotiations failed to resolve the dispute. On September 12, JI chief announced a long march towards Islamabad for September 20, warning that the party would intensify its campaign if the government did not abolish the levy.

The march began on September 20, with participants travelling from Karachi by train. The caravan moved through Sukkur towards Multan, where Naeem addressed supporters. The march was subsequently suspended after PM Shehbaz telephoned the JI chief and requested that the party postpone its protest to allow further negotiations.

Read More: JI announces September 20 long march on Islamabad over petroleum levy

JI agreed to give the government an opportunity for talks but maintained that it had not abandoned its demand. The party’s position was that negotiations and protests could continue simultaneously, with any agreement required to address the complete abolition of the levy.