ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday said his party was postponing its long march to Islamabad against the petroleum levy at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, pending a meeting with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rehman, along with other party leaders, announced the decision during a press conference in Multan, where his caravan arrived on Monday night as part of the long march JI had launched the day before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decision comes after a phone call between PM Shehbaz and the JI chief, in which the premier urged the latter to \u201cpostpone the sit-in\u201d, according to the Prime Minister\u2019s Office (PMO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both leaders agreed to meet after PM Shehbaz returned from his official visit to the United States, and to \u201ccontinue further consultation on this matter\u201d, the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing media in Multan, Rehman recalled that he received the prime minister\u2019s phone call last night and sought time to consult his party leaders on the request to postpone the march.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Announcing JI\u2019s plan of action after \u201cvery lengthy\u201d party consultations, Rehman said: \u201cWe will not step back from our protests. We will not step back from our long march either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHowever, we just want to give a chance to the government, as the prime minister has gotten involved for the first time. So, we will meet him, listen to what he has to say and present our arguments. We are a sensible party.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The JI chief added, \u201cOn that day, if he announces that the government is ready to give this relief, then it is fine; otherwise, we have the first week of October, and we will continue our long march with the same force.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nonetheless, Rehman declared that party workers will remain on the ground, while protest camps and sit-ins will also continue until the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He asserted that JI would not step back from the protests due to the \u201cfragile situation\u201d as claimed by the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe government is responsible for this situation,\u201d he said. He reiterated that JI\u2019s agenda was not to spread unrest or violence in Islamabad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the outset of his press conference, Rehman reiterated that his party was protesting against exorbitant electricity and fuel prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He recalled that his party launched the protest movement against the \u201cunjustified\u201d petroleum levy on August 7, claiming they had held demonstrations at 510 locations and were staging sit-ins at 42 sites across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commenting on the five rounds of talks held with the government to discuss recommendations to reduce the petroleum levy, the JI chief alleged that the government could not accept its plan as it was \u201cunder pressure\u201d from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have no political or personal agenda. This is the problem of 250 million people of Pakistan,\u201d the JI emir stated, stressing that the rise in petroleum prices results in inflation and impacts the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rehman again criticised the Prime Minister Fuel Relief Scheme, which took effect from Sept 17 and offers a quota-based subsidy of Rs100 per litre for two- and three-wheeled vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The JI chief contended that although the government had announced Rs25 billion in relief for a month, it was levying Rs150bn monthly on fuel prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about the PTI\u2019s planned march to Islamabad, Rehman said the party had a constitutional right to hold peaceful protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said JI considers PTI founder Imran Khan a political prisoner and condemned the recent crackdown on its supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The JI chief also urged the government to consider a proposal by Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas aimed at resolving differences with PTI and hold talks with the party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JI has been staging regular sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and dozens of other locations across the country since August 16 to protest the levy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Sunday, the party launched its protest march towards Islamabad, warning that if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy, the protest could turn into one to oust the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move coincided with the PTI gearing up for its own long march to Islamabad on Sept 27 to demand Imran\u2019s release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the weekend, Information Min\u00adister Attaullah Tarar said the government would not allow any violent group to reach Islamabad or block roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to the PTI in particular, the government has warned the party against proceeding with its planned protest and vowed a full government response if it went ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday said his party was postponing its long march to Islamabad against the petroleum levy at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, pending a meeting with him. Rehman, along with other party leaders, announced the decision during a press conference in Multan, where his caravan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n