JI rejects PM Shehbaz’s fuel relief scheme, says it cannot substitute for abolition of petroleum levy

ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Tuesday rejected the prime minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme, saying it could not substitute for the abolition of the petroleum levy. On Sunday, PM Shehbaz announced a “relief scheme” for users of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles of up to 800cc to “alleviate the burden” of rising global oil prices. The JI delegation, led by JI Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch and comprising Syed Farasat Shah, Nasrullah Randhawa, Inayatullah Khan and Ziauddin Ansari, held the third round of talks with the government in Islamabad. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, Energy Minister Awais Khan Leghari, Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani represented the government. Talking to the media after the meeting on Tuesday, Baloch said government task forces set up by the prime minister gave detailed briefings on petroleum prices and independent power producers (IPPs). Energy Minister Leghari briefed the JI team on progress in negotiations with IPPs. Baloch said the JI had categorically rejected the Rs100 petrol relief, insisting that the party’s protest movement would continue until the petroleum levy was completely abolished. He said the government was trying to divert public pressure through temporary relief measures, whereas consumers could receive genuine relief only if the levy was withdrawn. According to Baloch, taxes and levies had placed an additional burden of around Rs130 on consumers. He said reducing this burden would provide meaningful relief to the public. Criticising the ruling elite, he said the government was unwilling to cut its own expenditure and accused successive governments of patronising influential groups, including the sugar mafia. On the IPP issue, he said the government had informed the JI delegation that matters concerning 54 IPPs had been finalised, while negotiations with another 36 IPPs were at an advanced stage. “The government has told the JI that negotiations with IPPs have resulted in savings of Rs4,600 billion,” Baloch said. “If such a huge saving has been made, why has its benefit not been passed on to the people?” Baloch asked, adding that the government’s briefing had validated figures previously presented by the JI. He also questioned the utilisation of funds collected under the climate support levy, saying the money had not been spent for its intended purpose. “The government will not be able to escape public pressure until the petroleum levy is abolished,” he warned, saying people from across the country would head towards Islamabad. The talks between the government and JI began on Sept 7 after the two sides agreed to form committees comprising experts to discuss recommendations for reducing the petroleum levy and providing relief to the public. The government levies Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel. JI has been staging regular sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and dozens of other locations across the country since August 16 to protest the levy. Last week, the JI chief had warned the government that the ongoing protest would march towards Islamabad on September 20 if the levy was not withdrawn.