Govt reaches out to JI, invites party to another round of talks to break deadlock

Govt reaches out to JI, invites party to another round of discussions to break deadlock.

Key points

• Ahmad Fraz Khan Published September 18, 2026 Updated September 18, 2026 11: 52pm.
• The government's renewed contact came as JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman finalised preparations for the party's Sept 20 march on Islamabad against the levy.
• According to Rehman, a nationwide "super long march" towards the federal capital would commence on September 20.
• Ahmad Fraz Khan is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn with four decades of experience in the field.
• According to the JI, Iqbal invited the JI committee, led by Baloch, to discussions on Saturday.

Ahmad Fraz Khan Published September 18, 2026 Updated September 18, 2026 11: 52pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on Friday contacted Jamaat-I-Islami (JI) Vice Emir Liaqat Baloch and invited the party to another round of discussions over its demand for the abolition of the petroleum levy.

In practice, the government's renewed contact came as JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman finalised preparations for the party's Sept 20 march on Islamabad against the levy.

According to the JI, Iqbal invited the JI committee, led by Baloch, to discussions on Saturday. Baloch remarked he would respond to the invitation after consulting the party chief and senior leadership.

He, nevertheless, produced it clear that the JI's protest movement would continue until the petroleum levy was abolished.

Meanwhile, the latest contact came after a number of rounds of negotiations between the administration and the JI.

While four subsequent rounds were held in Islamabad, the administration delegation had initially travelled to Mansoora in Lahore to invite the JI for negotiations. The last round took place on Wednesday, Sept 16. JI claims its proposals can save trillions.

JI chief Rehman on Friday remarked the party's protest movement aimed to press the administration for immediate economic relief, asserting that the national exchequer could save between Rs3 trillion and Rs4 trillion if the authorities adopted the party's proposed fiscal reforms.

As well as what he characterised as superficial relief packages that failed to address the core burdens facing the public, addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the JI chief voiced sharp criticism of rising fuel costs and heavy taxation.

He rejected the government's argument that recent energy and fuel cost hikes were strictly attributable to international market forces, saying the authorities were relying on aggressive levies to meet revenue targets rather than reducing state expenditure.

According to The JI chief, local fuel costs had risen significantly faster than those in neighbouring countries during recent regional tensions, disproportionately affecting lower- and middle-income households that rely heavily on smaller vehicles.

Calling for an end to guaranteed profit margins for oil marketing firms at the expense of consumers, Rehman reiterated the JI's demands to abolish the petroleum levy, end non-productive capacity payments to independent power producers (IPPs) and regasification plants, and fix the rate of petrol at Rs225 per litre.

Outlining key economic measures, the JI emir pressed an immediate cut of three percentage points in the benchmark interest rate, pointing out that every one-percentage-point reduction would save the exchequer approximately Rs574 billion. He remarked the administration must stop protecting commercial bank profits and instead work towards systematically eliminating interest from the national economy.

"The public's support for the party's movement is growing, " Rehman remarked, confirming ongoing dialogue and mutual political backing with farmers' alliances and PTI over their respective demonstrations.

"The September 20 demonstration will involve caravans travelling to Islamabad from across Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, including a dedicated contingent travelling by train from Karachi, " he remarked.

Rehman assured the public that the self-funded march would not involve road blockades or cause unnecessary disruption to daily life, adding that its arrangements would not obstruct students appearing for the upcoming Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

While expressing readiness for immediate discussions if the administration presented actionable proposals, the JI leadership cautioned that stalling tactics would not be tolerated as public mobilisation intensified.

Ahmad Fraz Khan is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn with four decades of experience in the field. His reporting portfolio includes coverage of agriculture, the energy sector, and religio-political parties. He can be discovered on X at @AFKhan.

For now, govt reaches out to JI, invites party to another round of talks remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.