Jamaat-i-Islami began a protest march toward Islamabad on Sunday to demand the removal of the petroleum levy, which currently exceeds Rs100 per litre. Party leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned that if the government does not address their demands, protests could escalate further. The march includes participants traveling by both train and road, passing through several cities before reaching Islamabad, where they plan to invite more supporters to join them. Rehman emphasized that the purpose of the protest is to ease financial burdens on the poorest citizens and called for direct action rather than social media activism.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Jamaat-i-Islami, led by Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, began a protest march from Karachi towards Islamabad on Sunday to demand the abolition of the petroleum levy, which is over Rs100 per litre for diesel and Rs114 per litre for petrol. The party had been staging sit-ins in cities like Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi, and others since August 16. Despite government warnings based on a recent Islamabad High Court ruling against activities that disrupt normal life, Rehman vowed to continue the march peacefully. On Monday, when the train carrying protesters reached Sukkur, it faced a four-hour delay, prompting Rehman to question if this was related to their march and criticize Pakistan Railways' performance. The protest aims to relieve economic burden on the poorest citizens and could escalate into demands for government ousting if the petroleum levy is not abolished.
Written for “JI Protest Against Petroleum Levy” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
The Jamaat-i-Islami launched its protest march towards Islamabad on Sunday, with party Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warning that if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy, the JI’s protest could turn into one to oust the government.
uncertain
protest → launch → government
Naeem was addressing JI supporters at Karachi’s Cantonment Station before departing for Islamabad.
asserted
Naeem → address → Islamabad
“In line with our strategy, people from across the country have departed for Islamabad,” he said, adding that a road caravan had also departed for the federal capital in addition to the “train march”.
asserted
caravan → depart → march
He said the rally would pass through Hyderabad, Landhi, Nawabshah, Rohri and Sukkur, adding that “we will invite our sisters to join us once we reach [Islamabad]”.
asserted
we → say → Islamabad
Rehman said the purpose of the march was to help relieve the burden on the least privileged.
asserted
purpose → say → privileged
“Instead of providing relief to the people, the government has decided that it would make the nation pay for its bad governance,” he added.
asserted
he → provide → governance
“We demand that the levy extortion should end.
asserted
extortion → demand → ?
Petrol prices would then reduce quickly and reach around Rs200 per litre.
asserted
prices → reduce → litre
That’s when the economy could move forward.”
uncertain
economy → ’ → ?
He said that the government had increased petrol prices more than any other state in the region.
asserted
government → say → region
“The government wants to rob the common people in times of crisis,” Naeem claimed.
asserted
Naeem → want → crisis
The JI emir said voicing complaints on social media was pointless, urging supporters to step out of their houses to protest the injustice.
asserted
voicing → say → injustice
“For the past 36-37 days, nationwide protests have been ongoing,” he said, adding that protests were currently under way in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpur Khas, Larkana, Naushahro Feroze, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and various cities of KP.
asserted
protests → say → KP
“JI has mobilised entire Pakistan,” he said.
asserted
he → mobilise → Pakistan
“No hindrances can stop the protesters.
asserted
hindrances → stop → protesters
”
“When we reach Islamabad, it’s not guaranteed that the situation would remain under control,” Rehman warned.
asserted
Rehman → reach → control
If the government tried to suppress the movement, the situation would get out of control, he said.
asserted
he → try → control
The JI has been holding nationwide protests against fuel levy, which is more than Rs100 per litre.
asserted
which → hold → litre
The party posted on X that the “train march”, led by Rehman from Karachi, would reach Rohri, Sukkur to hold a rally at 8pm.
asserted
march → post → 8
The protesters would depart for Multan on Monday.
asserted
protesters → depart → Monday
On Saturday, a government delegation, including PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, and Salman Rafique, called on the JI leadership at its Mansoorah headquarters in Lahore, but the meeting failed to break the deadlock.
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meeting → include → deadlock
During the talks, the government delegation asked the JI to postpone the long march in view of security threats.
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delegation → ask → threats
However, JI leader Liaquat Baloch said the long march would remain necessary until the levy imposed on the public was withdrawn.
asserted
levy → say → public
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