‘Patience has run out’: JI warns of shutdown, Islamabad march if petroleum levy not abolished

'Patience has run out': JI warns of shutdown, Islamabad march if petroleum levy not abolished.

Key points

• Ahmad Fraz Khan Published August 25, 2026 Updated August 25, 2026 07: 51pm.
• While protests would continue during Eid Miladun Nabi celebrations, rehman remarked the JI would announce the date for a nationwide strike on 13th Rabi-ul-Awwal.
• Ahmad Fraz Khan is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn with four decades of experience in the field.
• Referring to the JI's previous campaign against IPPs, Rehman remarked public pressure had contributed to a reduction of around Rs10 per unit in electricity costs.
• Criticising the Punjab administration, Rehman stated its much-publicised initiatives could not conceal its failure to address fundamental problems.

Ahmad Fraz Khan Published August 25, 2026 Updated August 25, 2026 07: 51pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

LAHORE: Jamaat-I-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday once again cautioned of a nationwide shutdown, road blockades and a march on Islamabad if the administration failed to withdraw the petroleum levy.

Addressing a press conference at the JI sit-in outside the Punjab chief minister's House in Lahore, Rehman remarked the protests had entered their 10th day and were gaining momentum nationwide.

"The people's patience has run out, " he remarked, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the petroleum levy and what he described as unjustified taxes. He remarked the ongoing sit-ins would continue until the administration provided meaningful relief to the public.

While protests would continue during Eid Miladun Nabi celebrations, rehman remarked the JI would announce the date for a nationwide strike on 13th Rabi-ul-Awwal. He remarked the party had mobilised residents throughout all four provinces and would expand the campaign if its demands were ignored.

For context, the JI chief remarked the administration and those running the system had failed to address the country's economic challenges, adding that successive decisions had shifted the burden of the state's failures onto ordinary citizens.

"Governments in other countries have increased fuel prices only marginally even amid war conditions, but our rulers have turned the war into an opportunity to make money, " he remarked.

Meanwhile, the JI chief demanded the immediate abolition of the petroleum levy and other taxes on fuel, saying commuters, students, labourers and motorcyclists were struggling to cope with rising costs. He additionally called on the cost of roti to be reduced to Rs10.

Rehman additionally raised questions over alleged irregularities in coal imported for independent power producers (IPPs), calling for a forensic audit of the entire process. He remarked the Power Division had itself acknowledged irregularities in coal-related transactions and demanded an independent investigation to determine who had benefited from the alleged malpractice.

Meanwhile, the JI leader remarked consumers were being forced to pay for expensive fuel, electricity that was not generated and questionable IPP arrangements. He continued that the public was ultimately bearing the cost of administration and elite extravagance.

Referring to the JI's previous campaign against IPPs, Rehman remarked public pressure had contributed to a reduction of around Rs10 per unit in electricity costs. He cautioned that the JI would intensify its protests if the administration failed to respond to its demands.

"Shutdowns, road blockades and a march on Islamabad are among our options, " he remarked, adding that the administration should not test the party's resolve.

Rehman additionally criticised the political system, saying governments lacking genuine public backing remained subdued. Referring to the ruling coalition as a "Form-47 product", he remarked it had failed to resolve the difficulties confronting ordinary Pakistanis.

He continued that the PPP had damaged Sindh and criticised what he described as a family monopoly in Punjab. He additionally questioned the failure to hold local administration elections for years.

Rehman stressed that the JI was protesting not for personal or political interests but for the rights of the individuals. He invited the government's negotiating committee to visit the protest camp and explain when the petroleum levy would be withdrawn and how relief would be provided to the public.

"We will not go to Islamabad merely to receive a briefing from any committee, " he remarked.

Speaking regarding a recent incident involving a security official at Islamabad's Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology (SUSIT), the JI emir stated the matter should be dealt with strictly according to law. He pressed a merit-based investigation and action against anyone identified responsible, regardless of their position or influence.

JI Acting Secretary General Nazir Ahmed Janjua, Deputy Secretary Russel Khan Babar, JI Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari, JI Central Punjab Emir Javed Qasoori and Information Secretary Shakil Ahmed Tarabi were additionally present at the press conference.

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.

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