Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced a nationwide protest campaign, targeting the government’s recent decision to hike fuel prices and increase petroleum levies. The party plans to stage sit-ins across major urban centers, signaling a return to the street-level agitation that has defined its recent opposition strategy.
The move follows the government’s latest adjustment to fuel prices, which saw a sharp uptick in the cost of petrol and high-speed diesel. For the average household, this isn’t just a pump price issue; it’s a direct hit to the already fragile cost of living. Transport fares and food costs are expected to climb in tandem, tightening the squeeze on a public already reeling from double-digit inflation.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Naeem-ur-Rehman labeled the levy hike an “unjust burden” on the common man. He argued that the government is prioritizing the demands of international lenders over the basic needs of its citizens. The JI leadership has made it clear: they won’t settle for verbal assurances. They want a complete rollback of the levy increases.
The protests aren’t just limited to party loyalists. JI is betting on the frustration of the middle and working classes. By taking the sit-ins to the streets, they are attempting to bridge the gap between political opposition and public desperation. Whether this will force a policy reversal or simply add to the political noise remains the central question for the administration.
The government, for its part, maintains that these adjustments are dictated by global market fluctuations and the necessity of meeting fiscal targets agreed upon under IMF conditions. They argue that maintaining subsidies is no longer a luxury the national exchequer can afford.
For the people of Pakistan, the math is simple and brutal. Every rupee added to the price of a liter of petrol ripples through the economy. With the Jamaat-e-Islami moving from rhetoric to physical presence on the roads, the coming days will test the government’s resolve to stay the course against rising public anger.
