Government Has Little Time, Hafiz Naeem Warns of Expanded Protest Movement Over Petroleum Levy

Addressing a public gathering in Buner at the launch of Phase Two of Jamaat-e-Islami’s movement against taxes and levies on petroleum products, Hafiz Naeem said the government must decide on public demands. He said the government had been given an opportunity for negotiations, but the ball was now in its court.

Hafiz Naeem said people in Pakistan were being burdened by excessive taxes while ordinary citizens continued to face financial pressure, whereas powerful groups and large landowners were not paying taxes in the same way.

He alleged that various mafias, including those involved in flour, sugar, independent power producers, petroleum, drugs and land, had influence in Pakistan. He said the same elements remained part of the system under different forms of government, including martial law, what he described as nominal democracy and the hybrid system.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief said major political parties did not launch movements against these mafias because they relied on them. He said political parties made claims about bringing major change, revolution and honesty, but different mafias could be found around them.

He said the expenses of political parties and their leaders, including vehicles and public gatherings, were also supported by influential groups, while the real problems of the public did not become a priority for political parties.

Hafiz Naeem said inflation, unemployment, electricity, gas, petroleum prices and jobs were among the basic problems facing the people, but political parties were not raising their voices over these issues. He said anyone seeking to do politics should become the voice of the people and stand against mafias.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami could speak against these groups because it did not depend on them. According to him, the Buner gathering was not organised by any mafia but through donations and mutual support from Jamaat-e-Islami members.

Hafiz Naeem said the party’s movement against the petroleum levy was aimed at protecting public rights and was not for the benefit of any political leader, party or family, but represented what he described as the case of 250 million people.

He urged the government to reduce its own expenses and the privileges of rulers instead of placing a greater tax burden on the public, saying people could no longer bear further inflation and taxes.

Criticising the sugar sector, Hafiz Naeem alleged that sugarcane was purchased from farmers at low prices, followed by hoarding and increases in sugar prices. He said that when sugar became available in excess, permission was sought for exports, while shortages after exports led to demands for permission to import sugar again.

He alleged that people from major political families were also part of the sugar mafia and said such elements existed across different political parties. He said neither the government nor the opposition effectively raised their voice against the sugar mafia.

Hafiz Naeem also spoke about wheat, saying farmers did not receive the full value of their crops while some companies purchased wheat at low prices and later sold flour at higher prices.

According to him, influential individuals benefited from the large difference between the purchase price of wheat and the price of flour in the market, forcing people to buy bread and flour at higher prices.

Referring to Jamaat-e-Islami’s previous protest movement over independent power producers, Hafiz Naeem said that during the party’s sit-in in Islamabad two years ago, government ministers had argued that negotiations with IPPs were not possible because the companies could approach international courts.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami had maintained that negotiations with IPPs had to take place. He said the government subsequently reached an agreement with the party following the protest and negotiations with IPPs were held.

Hafiz Naeem said the government itself claimed that changes in IPP arrangements had benefited the national exchequer by Rs4.5 trillion. He alleged that IPP agreements contained provisions under which payments for electricity that was not produced continued to be recovered from the public.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami’s struggle was not for the interest of any individual, family or political party but for public issues. He said neither he nor Inayatullah Khan had any personal agenda and described the cause as a national agenda.

Hafiz Naeem said Jamaat-e-Islami’s alliance was with Pakistan’s youth, poor, oppressed, ordinary people and the middle class. He said the party did not want to become part of any political arrangement in which a party, after receiving establishment support, moved away from public issues.

He said the politics of power and the musical-chair game had gone on long enough, adding that Jamaat-e-Islami and the people were now united and would continue their struggle together.

Addressing party workers, Hafiz Naeem urged them to continue their struggle, remain unaffected by pressure or criticism and stay active for public issues.

He warned that Jamaat-e-Islami was fully prepared for the movement, including a prolonged struggle, sit-ins and an extended stay in Islamabad. He urged the government not to treat the movement as merely a political event and instead take public grievances seriously.

Hafiz Naeem said it would be better if the government provided relief to the people itself; otherwise, Jamaat-e-Islami would continue its struggle. He said the protests and public gatherings were giving people hope and could lay the foundation for what he described as major change in the country.