Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman to Shehbaz Sharif: “If You Cannot Abolish Petrol Levy, There Is No Need for a Meeting”

Peshawar (Qudrat Daily) — Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has said that if federal ministers continue issuing statements against abolishing the levy, he will not meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and instead the decision will be made on the streets of Islamabad. “The people know how to claim their rights. By the 12th of October, we will announce when we will reach the federal capital.”

He said the complete abolition of the petroleum levy is our demand. “Instead of collecting a 1,700 billion rupee extortion, why doesn’t the government reduce the interest rate by three percent in the first phase and save 5,000 billion rupees?”

He expressed these views while addressing a public gathering in Charsadda. KP Central Ameer Abdul Wasi and District Ameer Shah Hussain also addressed the gathering.

A large number of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba and Jamiat Talaba Arabia workers were also present at the venue.

Earlier, the Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer also addressed a Bannu Qabil Graduation ceremony organized by Al-Khidmat Foundation Pakistan at the Peshawar Press Club. He announced the launch of the Bannu Qabil program in Charsadda and thanked the political parties of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for supporting the anti-petroleum levy gathering in Charsadda.

Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said, “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should listen: if you cannot abolish this extortionate levy, then we have no need to meet you. When the people reach Islamabad, only then will there be a meeting with the Prime Minister, and the levy will be abolished.”

He said Jamaat-e-Islami has been running a movement for the rights of the country’s 250 million people for the past three months. “Flour is expensive in the country, farmers are distressed, urea is expensive, the sugar mill mafia first exports sugar and then earns money through imports — this mafia is part of big so-called political parties. We ask the rulers: what does the levy have to do with petrol prices in the global market? This economic terrorism is unacceptable in any form.”

He said that if the interest rate is reduced by one percent, the treasury benefits by 594 billion rupees; if the interest rate comes down to eight percent, the treasury would benefit by 5,000 billion rupees — “but the rulers do not understand this because they help the bank mafia. Rulers should not drown the nation by invoking the IMF’s name. Let them tell us: do they ask the IMF before spending on 11 billion rupee jets and extravagant expenditures? Rulers should stop deceiving the nation.”

Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said the IPP agreements are fake, and the people are being looted under the guise of these agreements. “The luxuries of a few are destroying millions of people — this system will not continue.” He said the flour mafia, sugar mafia, IPP mafia, and land mafia fund the expenses of political parties. “Parties comprising feudal lords, Wadereas, the establishment, families, and individuals have been squeezing the nation’s blood for 89 years — the people should now understand them.”

He said 4.8 million children in KP do not go to school, schools are being sold in all four provinces, and people in all four provinces lack basic facilities. “The ruling political parties are one and the same — they were united for the extension of the former army chief’s tenure. I tell Jamaat-e-Islami workers: unite the people and expose the reality of the imperialist representatives to the nation. The youth should prepare themselves for a great struggle.”

The Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer said a fight is ongoing between KP and the federation, and “Form 47 people” have been imposed. “What kind of system is this where the state does not give people their rights but demands obedience from them? The people want their rights.” He said there is a vacuum of true leadership and political parties in the country, and only Jamaat-e-Islami can fill this vacuum.