Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Thursday demanded an immediate reduction in petroleum prices and announced nationwide protests against inflation and the petroleum levy on June 19, warning that sit-ins would be staged across all four provinces if the government’s demands were not met.
Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah in Lahore, Hafiz Naeem welcomed the ceasefire and agreement between Iran and the United States, describing it as a positive development for the region. He said Pakistan had played an important and constructive role in the process, while efforts by other regional countries to secure a ceasefire were also commendable.
He said the agreement would help improve relations between Iran and Gulf countries and stressed the need for practical measures to strengthen unity among Muslim nations. He proposed enhanced cooperation among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkiye to promote regional solidarity and collective strength in the Muslim world.
Referring to the agreement, the JI chief said petroleum prices should now be significantly reduced. He demanded that the price of petrol be immediately fixed at Rs225 per litre and frozen for the next three years. He also called for the complete abolition of the petroleum levy and reductions in diesel and electricity prices. “Reducing fuel prices by only Rs10 or Rs20 per litre will not be enough. The public deserves meaningful relief,” he said.
Criticising the federal budget, Hafiz Naeem said salaries of parliamentarians had been increased by 300-500%, while only a 10% raise had been proposed for government employees. He alleged that the government had increased the tax burden on citizens despite wartime conditions and collected substantial revenues through the petroleum levy.
He claimed that motorcycle users alone had paid Rs400 billion in levy charges, whereas only Rs10 to Rs12 billion had been collected in taxes from large landowners.
Hafiz Naeem also called for the abolition of lawmakers’ development funds, arguing that legislation was the primary responsibility of elected representatives. He alleged that government policies had strengthened mafias in the flour, sugar, and pharmaceutical sectors.
He said the proposed minimum wage of Rs41,000 was insufficient and urged the government to formulate economic policies based on the needs of ordinary citizens. He also demanded income tax exemption for individuals earning up to Rs125,000 per month, along with increases in Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) funds and pensions.
Expressing concerns over allocations for education and agriculture, Hafiz Naeem said university budgets had been reduced despite claims of an education emergency. He also criticised the outsourcing of thousands of public schools in Punjab.
He said the neglect of the agricultural sector had contributed to a decline in cotton production, forcing the country to rely on imports.