Pakistan's Jamaat-i-Islami warns of nationwide strike over petrol price hike

Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) has issued a stern warning, threatening a countrywide strike if the government does not immediately reverse the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices. The party's leader, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, stated that the public can no longer endure the escalating cost of living.

Addressing a press conference during a sit-in protest, Rehman articulated the party's demands: a reduction in fuel prices, the abolition of the petroleum levy, and a decrease in the price of petrol to Rs225 per liter. He emphasized that the JI's struggle is for the rights of the people, not for its own benefit.

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JI is not fighting for itself. It is fighting for the rights of the people.

The ongoing protests, which have entered their third day, are gaining momentum. JI announced that women and lawyers will soon join the demonstrations, broadening the base of the movement. Rehman asserted the protesters' determination to continue their campaign until their demands are met.

The recent surge in fuel prices has intensified public anger, according to Rehman. He criticized the government's revenue collection methods, suggesting it profits excessively from consumers at the pump.

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the public was already paying heavy taxes on every litre of fuel and could no longer bear the rising cost of living.