Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, the party would proceed with its planned Islamabad march in mid-November, despite the government’s request for another seven to 10 days to address demands for the immediate abolition of the petroleum levy.
Speaking to media after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rehman said JI would continue negotiations while preparing for the demonstration and launching a nationwide mobilization campaign.
“We will no longer postpone the Islamabad march,” Naeemur Rehman said. “We will continue talking to the government, but the march will take place in mid-November.”
Naeemur Rehman said the prime minister had requested additional time to resolve the issue. Both sides agreed that greater relief should be provided on petroleum products, but they remained divided over how and when the relief should be implemented.
JI is demanding the immediate elimination of the petroleum levy, while the government has proposed providing relief in phases and gradually phasing out the charge.
“We say the levy should be abolished; they say relief will be provided in phases,” Naeemur Rehman said. He urged the government to establish a clear plan to eliminate the levy and announce a relief package before the march begins.
Naeemur Rehman argued that the petroleum levy was placing an unfair burden on middle- and lower-income households, while existing government measures were offering limited relief to the public.
The JI leader also credited his party’s protests with prompting the government to reconsider its position, questioning whether officials would have announced any relief measures without pressure from the streets.
He warned that the party could escalate its protest if the government failed to meet its demands.
“We may have to sit on the streets and talk,” Rehman said.
Addressing questions about negotiations with the government, Naeemur Rehman maintained that political dialogue was necessary regardless of which administration held power. Referring to the legitimacy of the government, he said talks had to take place with those in authority.
“If a hijacker hijacks a plane, you have to talk to him,” he remarked.
Despite continued negotiations, Rehman’s announcement signals that JI intends to maintain pressure on the government while preparing for its mid-November march.
The party’s next move will depend on whether officials offer a concrete plan to abolish the petroleum levy before the demonstration begins.
