Lahore (Pakistan Khabar): Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has warned that he is ready to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but if the public is not given relief, there will be no further meeting and decisions will be made on the streets.
Speaking at a press conference at Mansoorah, Hafiz Naeem said that petrol prices could fall to Rs225 per litre if the petroleum levy were completely abolished and excessive profits earned by refineries were eliminated. He said Jamaat-e-Islami had been campaigning on the issue for a long time and had repeatedly demanded public relief through protests, rallies and a signature campaign.
He said the government had provided some relief in petrol prices following protests, but it was insufficient. The government was using the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as an excuse to avoid abolishing the petroleum levy, while the tax burden on the public continued to increase and profits in various sectors were rising.
According to Hafiz Naeem, an increase in diesel prices leads to higher prices of essential commodities, yet government expenditure is not being reduced. He also criticised the continuation of interest-based financial practices, the growing influence of banks, and vested interests linked to electricity, flour, sugar and oil refineries.
He said government policies were fuelling public anger and urged the government to implement Jamaat-e-Islami’s proposals. He added that an important announcement would be made in the evening on the same day as his meeting with the prime minister.
Discussing the situation in Palestine, Hafiz Naeem also expressed concern over the lack of effective measures to prevent the displacement of Palestinians and halt Israeli atrocities.