Islamabad, October 27,2026: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday announced that his party would march to Islamabad in mid-November if the government failed to provide substantial relief to the public by abolishing the petroleum levy.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rehman said the party would not postpone its planned march any further, although negotiations with the government would continue.
“We want to make it clear that we will not postpone our Islamabad march any longer. It will now take place in mid-November, and it certainly will take place,” he said.
The JI chief said both sides had agreed on expanding the scope of public relief but differed over the mechanism for abolishing the levy. He said the government favoured a phased reduction, whereas his party wanted the levy eliminated.
Rehman said JI was forming another committee, comprising Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch, Deputy Secretary General Syed Farasat Shah and Islamabad Emir Nasrullah Randhawa, to pursue negotiations with the government.
Rejecting reports of a proposed reduction of Rs20 to Rs30 in the levy, he said the party would not accept what he described as inadequate relief. He added that JI would continue preparations for the march and launch nationwide mobilisation alongside ongoing talks.
The JI emir said his party had also raised concerns over refinery margins, arguing that consumers should receive greater relief when international oil prices increased. While acknowledging fluctuations in global oil prices amid conflicts in the Middle East, he maintained that the petroleum levy should also be abolished to ease the burden on the public.
Rehman claimed that sustained protests by his party had pressured the government to introduce a relief package in mid-September. He recalled that the government had increased the petrol levy from Rs105 to Rs160 per litre in April before reducing it by Rs80 following widespread criticism.
He criticised successive governments for pledging to avoid borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but subsequently entering into programmes with the lender after assuming power.
“Give relief to the people; do not take retribution for your incompetence from the nation,” he said.
Background of JI protests
JI has been campaigning for the abolition of petroleum levies for more than two months, citing rising fuel costs amid regional conflicts. In early September, the government and the party agreed to establish committees to recommend measures to reduce the levy.
On August 16, JI announced sit-ins in provincial capitals and called for a nationwide strike on September 3. The party subsequently launched a protest march towards Islamabad on September 20.
Two days later, Rehman announced the postponement of the march after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested more time for talks and assured the party of a meeting.
However, JI later alleged that the government had failed to maintain contact regarding further negotiations, renewing its threat to march on the federal capital.
