JI chief rejects petroleum relief package, demands abolition of levy

LAHORE: Rejecting the Prime Minister’s recent petroleum relief package as insufficient, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Monday yet again demanded the complete abolition of the petroleum levy.

On Sunday, PM Shehbaz announced a “relief scheme” for users of motorcycles, autos and vehicles of up to 800cc to “alleviate the burden” of rising global oil prices. The JI chief’s remarks come as the party remains engaged in talks with the government over the petroleum levy.

JI has been staging regular sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and dozens of other locations across the country since August 16 to protest the levy. Last week, the JI chief had warned the government that the ongoing protest would march towards Islamabad on September 20 if the levy was not withdrawn.

As the party’s protest entered its 30th day, Rehman, addressing a press conference in Lahore, rejected the fuel relief scheme, terming it insufficient, according to a statement issued by the party.

The JI chief warned the government of creating “obstacles” party’s upcoming march in Islamabad.

As per the statement, he warned that “authorities would be held fully responsible for any consequences if undemocratic tactics were used to block the movement”.

“Sit-ins are currently underway at 40 locations across the country,” the JI chief was quoted as saying, adding that announcing the protesters would converge in Islambad on Sept 20.

Rehman claimed that a three per cent reduction in the interest rate could save the national treasury around Rs1.7 trillion; enough, he argued, to completely eliminate the petroleum levy, which he said currently collects more than Rs1.56tr annually from the public.

He also accused the government of protecting the profits of the banking sector under the guise of controlling inflation, the statement said.

“The federal government could save hundreds of billions of rupees by implementing proposals submitted by the JI’s committee,” Rehman was quoted as saying.

The chief also rejected “government’s excuse regarding the autonomy of the State Bank of Pakistan” and that his party had opposed the autonomy.

As per the statement, Rehman took note of the government’s authority to appoint people and urged it to ensure “complete elimination of usury”.

He also went on to accuse certain oil refineries of “exploiting pricing differences by combining imported and locally refined oil prices”.

The JI chief held that the practice had resulted in “unlawful profits at the public’s expense” and called for an “immediate halt” to it.

He also called for “upgrades to refinery capacities, cuts in official privileges and the termination of unfair independent power producer (IPP) contracts,” the statement said.

Rehman also confirmed that government-JI talks would resume on Sept 15 (Tuesday).

“The ongoing sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi have been ongoing for 30 days and continue to receive strong support from opposition parties and the general public,” he was quoted as saying.

So far, two rounds of talks have been held between the government and JI, with the third round scheduled for tomorrow. In the first round held on September 7, JI submitted six key proposals to the government committee.

The government levies Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel.