Petrol levy may be scrapped for a year as government seeks breakthrough with Jamaat-e-Islami.
ISLAMABAD – Jamaat-e-Islami’s long march to Islamabad continues as the government has reportedly canceled the petroleum levy for a year to break the ongoing impasse.
The Jamaat-e-Islami march is currently moving from Rohri to Multan, while the government has once again contacted the party leadership and appealed to stop the protest. Jamaat-e-Islami has maintained its stand as the party reiterated that its Super Long March will continue until the government agrees to its demand to end the petroleum levy.
The government has now proposed to waive the petroleum levy for a year and has also offered a massive public relief package to the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership. However, the proposed package will need to be reviewed and approved by the Jamaat-e-Islami Technical Committee. The government delegation has reportedly assured the party that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on board with the proposed relief measures.
A direct meeting between the Prime Minister and the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami is expected after the return of Shahbaz Sharif.
The latest proposal could open a window for negotiations. JI has hinted that if the government shows that it is genuinely serious about providing relief to the people, it may consider stopping the long march. However, there is one important condition.
Jamaat-e-Islami has made it clear that the break will not mean the end of the campaign. The party’s position is that the Long March will not be permanently ended until the petroleum levy is completely abolished. The government may still have a chance to block the march from reaching Islamabad, but the final settlement will depend on what happens to the levy.
Interestingly, the members of the government delegation are also reportedly in favor of abolishing the petroleum levy. A government member said the elected representatives would welcome any initiative aimed at providing relief to the people. With the march now moving towards Multan, attention is turning to the next round of talks by the Jamaat-e-Islami government.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also be in touch with the JI leadership soon, possibly setting the stage for a major breakthrough before March reaches the capital.
If there is a reduction, the price of petrol may reach Rs 1,000 per litre: Minister
The post Petrol levy may be abolished for a year as the government wants a breakthrough with Jamaat-e-Islami appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.
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