If the Extortion Tax Imposed in the Name of Petroleum Levy Is Not Abolished, a Long March Will Be Launched from Multan: Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman

Karachi (Qudrat Daily): Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, while addressing a press conference on the current international and national situation at Idara Noor-e-Haq, has announced that Jamaat-e-Islami will hold a Gaza March across the country on Wednesday to express solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine, and further vigorous efforts will be made for the assistance of the people of Gaza and the Palestinians. The grand Gaza March held in Karachi has proven that the hearts of Karachi’s people beat with their Palestinian brothers.

Jamaat-e-Islami has always raised its voice for the oppressed people of Palestine, while Al-Khidmat Foundation has so far delivered approximately 10 billion rupees in aid to the people of Gaza.

For the first time in Pakistan’s history, a political party is not merely raising slogans but is establishing free IT education centers for youth at its offices. The scope of Bano Qabil has been further expanded, and a modern institute has also been established in Lahore, where free IT education will be provided to Palestinian people as well as Pakistani citizens.

Jamaat-e-Islami is a peaceful party; our protests, gatherings, and signature campaigns continue unabated. We have not relinquished our right to march on Islamabad for even a single day. If the government does not abolish the extortion tax imposed in the name of petroleum levy, Jamaat-e-Islami will again launch its long march. Our entire program is ready; only the announcement remains. We will announce our next course of action after 7 October.

The negotiations between the government and the opposition, especially PTI, failed just as they were about to succeed. Governor’s rule or emergency is unacceptable under any circumstances. If the negotiations have failed, then negotiations should be held again. Peaceful protest is the constitutional, democratic, and political right of every political party. On humanitarian grounds, all women and ailing elderly leaders of PTI should be released immediately, while the government should accept all of PTI’s legitimate demands in accordance with the Constitution and law, including Imran Khan’s access to a hospital and meetings.

Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Munim Zafar Khan, Deputy Ameer Karachi Muslim Parvez, Deputy Secretary Karachi Younus Barai, Jamaat-e-Islami MPA Sindh Muhammad Farooq, Secretary Information Zahid Askari, Senior Deputy Secretary Information Suhaib Ahmed, and others were also present at the press conference.

Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that Israel had been defeated on every front on 7 October; however, with America’s help, it resumed bombing Palestine.

America, which claims to be a champion of human rights, has so far provided millions of dollars in aid to Israel. US President Trump has also provided Israel with such dangerous bombs that even former US President Joe Biden had not given. No performance of the so-called “Peace Board” is visible. According to the latest reports in international media, America is about to provide Israel with further bombs worth approximately 2.8 million dollars.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has so far martyred 1,500 Palestinians and injured 5,000, while according to reports, at least 10,000 bodies are still present under the piles of rubble of buildings. As a result of Hamas’s struggle, for the first time such a public wave in favor of Palestine has arisen in Western countries that people are raising their voices against their own governments. He said that America, by lying in various matters including Iraq and Afghanistan, massacred countless human beings and established hundreds of military bases around the world.

Today, all Zionist forces stand with Trump. Jamaat-e-Islami will hold a Gaza March across the country on 7 October to express solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that the government’s relief package regarding petroleum is a mere trifle. The government has not done the people any favor by giving this package. It is regrettable that, apart from Jamaat-e-Islami, no political party is speaking on this important issue of the people.

As a result of Jamaat-e-Islami’s continued struggle and pressure, the government was forced to give this relief package. He said that the government is repeatedly announcing that 7 million people have been included in the package, but in Pakistan there are 25 million motorcycles and more than 4 million vehicles up to 1000 and 1200 cc. The government has included only vehicles up to 800 cc in the package, while all motorcycle riders also cannot benefit from this facility.

Thus, the relief given by the government is also not reaching a large number of people.

Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that if the government fears that cheap petrol will also go to rich people, then the solution is that the government should create a separate system for the wealthy class and double the price of petrol for large vehicles. Instead of announcing packages, the government must correct its policies and completely abolish the petroleum levy.

Jamaat-e-Islami has also exhausted its final argument with the government. The government must abolish the extortion tax imposed in the name of petroleum levy and reduce the prices of petroleum products. All facts regarding IPPs should also be brought before the nation, and it should be told why negotiations are not being held with the remaining 73 IPPs. He said that to benefit a few bank owners and stakeholders, the entire people of Pakistan are being ruined. People associated with IPPs are present in all political parties. Jamaat-e-Islami’s struggle against the petroleum levy is not for any personal interest but is directly the people’s issue.