Islamabad, September 3, 2026: A shutter-down strike was observed across Punjab on the appeal of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman against high petroleum prices, petroleum levy and what the party described as excessive inflation.
Major commercial centres, markets and business hubs in several parts of the province remained closed as traders, business groups and people from different walks of life suspended commercial activities in support of the protest.
Jamaat-e-Islami Punjab Ameer Dr. Tariq Saleem and Secretary General Iqbal Khan thanked chambers of commerce, trade unions, traders and members of the business community for supporting the strike.
Dr. Tariq Saleem also visited different districts of Punjab during the protest and spoke to the media about the response to the shutdown call.
He said the public response demonstrated that people had accepted Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman’s call and rejected what he termed the government’s “anti-people” economic policies.
According to Saleem, the petroleum levy, rising inflation and the growing economic burden had made it increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens to meet their basic needs.
He described the shutter-down strike as a clear message to the government that people were no longer prepared to bear what he called excessive taxation and the rising cost of living.
Saleem also criticised the reported proposal to revise petroleum prices on a daily rather than weekly basis, arguing that frequent price adjustments could further increase the financial burden on consumers.
Questioning the taxation structure on petroleum products, he asked why the government was not abolishing what he described as approximately Rs120 per litre in taxes on petrol.
He demanded meaningful relief for the public instead of repeatedly increasing petroleum prices and imposing additional financial burdens on consumers.
The JI Punjab leader also criticised the government’s approach towards political dissent, saying that simultaneously offering negotiations while arresting peaceful political activists was contradictory and unacceptable.
He warned that if the government failed to provide relief and did not accept what Jamaat-e-Islami considers its legitimate demands, the party would expand its movement, potentially turning it into a broader protest campaign.
Saleem also criticised taxes and additional charges imposed through electricity and gas bills, saying ordinary citizens were facing a “double burden” as they struggled with high petroleum costs and rising utility bills.
He argued that while the public was paying heavy taxes on petroleum products, additional charges were further increasing the cost of electricity and gas.
The JI leader also criticised the privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, including expensive vehicles and official protocols, at a time when ordinary citizens were facing inflation, unemployment and rising household expenses.
Spending public money on what he described as the luxuries of rulers and the elite, Saleem said, was adding to the hardships faced by lower- and middle-income families.
He claimed that the widespread participation in the shutter-down strike reflected growing public dissatisfaction with the government’s economic policies.
Saleem thanked traders, business organisations and citizens who participated in the protest, saying their support had strengthened Jamaat-e-Islami’s demand for relief from inflation, petroleum prices and excessive taxation.
The party has warned that further action could be taken if the government fails to address its demands, potentially putting additional pressure on the authorities to reconsider their economic and taxation policies.
