Islamabad: On the appeal of Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, protest demonstrations were held across the district headquarters of Northern Punjab against what the party described as the government's failure to provide substantial relief in petroleum prices despite declining global oil prices. The demonstrations were organized in Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Talagang, Khushab, Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock, Mianwali, and Sargodha under the leadership of central, provincial, and district leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami. Secretary General Jamaat-e-Islami Punjab Iqbal Khan addressed the protesters and reiterated the party's demand for immediate economic relief for the public. Addressing the gathering, Iqbal Khan said that international petroleum prices have fallen considerably following the easing of tensions between Iran and the United States, but the government has continued to treat petrol and diesel as major sources of revenue instead of passing the benefit on to the people.
He demanded that the price of petrol be immediately reduced to Rs. 225 per litre, stating that minor reductions of Rs.10 or Rs.20 would not provide meaningful relief to citizens already burdened by inflation and rising living costs. He also called for the complete abolition of the petroleum levy and proposed that fuel prices be frozen for the next three years to help control inflation and provide long-term stability to consumers. Iqbal Khan further urged the government to reduce electricity and gas tariffs alongside petroleum prices, arguing that the public should benefit from declining international energy prices. He maintained that rising utility costs and indirect taxation have placed an unbearable financial burden on ordinary citizens. Criticizing the government’s economic policies, he said that while the rulers frequently cite conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to justify higher taxes and fuel prices, they have shown little willingness to reduce their own expenditures, official privileges, and luxury spending. He called upon the government to immediately abolish or substantially reduce petroleum levy, adopt austerity measures, and provide meaningful relief to the people instead of shifting the burden of economic challenges onto the public.
