Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan has announced the third phase of its long march towards Islamabad, starting October 23. The party aims to pressure the government to abolish the petroleum levy and provide financial relief to the public. JI Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch announced the schedule on Wednesday. He said protest demonstrations would also take place at district headquarters across the country on the same day.
Baloch described JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman’s call for nationwide protests as timely. He reiterated that the party would continue its campaign against the petroleum levy. The party maintains that withdrawing the levy is necessary to ease the financial burden on citizens.
The announcement comes amid ongoing discussions between JI and the federal government. Baloch said the government had proposed a meeting between the negotiating committees before talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.
He urged both negotiating teams to complete their recommendations as soon as possible. According to Baloch, JI has not received information about progress made by the government’s negotiating committee. He added that the party would maintain its constitutional position on public issues.
JI had initially announced a long march towards Islamabad on September 20. The protest was planned to oppose the petroleum levy and demand relief for consumers. However, the party later postponed the march following a telephone call from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Addressing a press conference in Multan, Hafiz Naeem said the postponement followed the prime minister’s request. He explained that Shehbaz Sharif had promised to meet the JI leadership after returning home. The meeting was expected to help resolve the dispute over the levy.
However, the proposed meeting has not taken place so far, according to the provided report. JI has therefore continued to press the government for progress on the issue. Earlier, Hafiz Naeem told party workers in Lahore that JI had not changed its protest strategy. He said the party had highlighted the petroleum levy when other political parties were not raising the issue publicly.
The JI chief argued that the levy was separate from the actual price of petrol. He described it as a “jaga tax” and called for its withdrawal. Hafiz Naeem also listed the measures taken by the party during its campaign. These included road blockades, sit-ins, rallies, strikes, and the planned long march. He said JI had not abandoned its movement.
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The third phase of the long march is expected to renew pressure on the government. Nationwide demonstrations on October 23 will form part of the party’s broader campaign for changes to petroleum taxation. The government and JI negotiating teams have yet to reach a publicly confirmed resolution. The next developments will depend on progress in talks and the party’s planned protest activities.
