Jamaat-e-Islami workers held widespread protests across Pakistan on Friday against rising fuel prices, inflation, the petroleum levy and heavy taxes. Demonstrations, sit-ins and road blockades disrupted traffic on major highways and city roads in several provinces.
Party chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman addressed supporters in Lahore and announced plans for large sit-ins outside Governor Houses in all four provinces. He claimed the government had collected Rs8 trillion through the petroleum levy and accused it of failing to pass on benefits when global oil prices dropped. He demanded that petrol be reduced to Rs225 per litre, the levy be removed, and taxes be lowered. He also called for a march to the Punjab Chief Minister’s House on 9 August and a sit-in there.
In Karachi, protests caused long traffic jams between Lasbela Chowk and Numaish Chowrangi and on nearby roads. Workers blocked the National Highway in Matiari, creating queues in both directions. Similar sit-ins and rallies took place in Tando Allahyar, Thatta, Shikarpur and Hyderabad.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demonstrators blocked roads in Abbottabad, Bajaur and the Peshawar Motorway toll plaza. In Balochistan, protests closed sections of the Peshawar-Chaman-Punjab highway at Kuchlak and the Sindh-Balochistan National Highway in Nasirabad. Sit-ins also affected traffic in Mastung, Bela and other districts.
In Islamabad, workers gathered near Golra Mor for a march towards 26 Number Chungi. Senior leader Liaquat Baloch joined the protest against the latest fuel price hikes. In Punjab, demonstrations closed Sangam Chowk in Dera Ghazi Khan, disrupted traffic at Pul 47 in Sargodha, and saw a large rally from Liaquat Bagh to Committee Chowk in Rawalpindi.
Party leaders said several workers had been arrested and demanded their immediate release. After registering their protest, most demonstrators dispersed peacefully and traffic gradually returned to normal. The actions signal that JI intends to keep pressure on the government over the cost of living in the coming days.
