Rawalpindi, September 10, 2026: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) protest sit-in against the petroleum levy, additional taxes and what the party describes as anti-people agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) entered its second consecutive day at Liaquat Bagh on Wednesday.
Men, women and children from different union councils of Rawalpindi participated in the sit-in, while representatives of various schools of thought, social organisations and civil society also joined the protest.
The protest was addressed by JI Pakistan Deputy Ameer and former MNA Mian Muhammad Aslam, JI Punjab Ameer Dr. Tariq Saleem, Secretary General Iqbal Khan, JI Rawalpindi City Ameer Syed Arif Shirazi, Rawalpindi Rural District Ameer Raja Muhammad Jawad and other party leaders.
Addressing the participants, Mian Muhammad Aslam termed the petroleum levy a “cruel extortion tax” and demanded its immediate abolition along with a reduction in petroleum product prices.
He warned that failure to withdraw the levy and provide relief to consumers could turn the ongoing protests into a broader movement seeking a change of government.
Aslam said the petroleum levy ultimately burdened ordinary citizens, as higher fuel costs increased transportation expenses and pushed up the prices of food, agricultural inputs and other essential commodities.
He criticised what he described as extravagant spending by the ruling elite, saying ordinary people were struggling to meet expenses related to education, healthcare, electricity bills and other household necessities while government officials were being provided with expensive aircraft and luxury vehicles.
Dr. Tariq Saleem said rulers had made it routine to ask people to make sacrifices while refusing to reduce their own privileges, protocols and lavish expenditures.
He alleged that the PML-N and its allies were using taxes on petroleum products as well as electricity and gas bills as a source of revenue.
While acknowledging that international market fluctuations could affect petroleum prices, he said there was no justification for what he called excessive levies and additional taxes.
Saleem said petrol price increases had a direct impact on the prices of essential commodities and claimed that JI protests were continuing in 32 cities across the country.
He said the party would further expand the scope of its movement, adding that the government had the capacity to provide relief to the people but was unwilling to cut the privileges, protocols and unnecessary expenditures of the ruling elite.
