Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Hafiz Naeem said Jamaat-e-Islami had raised the issue seriously and had not stopped its struggle against the levy.

He said the party had presented proposals to the government for abolishing the petroleum levy but had received no response. He also rejected the claim that imposing the levy was a requirement under Pakistan’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Hafiz Naeem said the government should reduce its own expenses instead of placing the financial burden on the public. He argued that a three-percentage point reduction in the interest rate could generate revenue comparable to that collected through the levy.

The JI chief also questioned government spending, referring to the purchase of a new aircraft costing Rs11 billion and an order for vehicles worth Rs6.6 billion.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had told him that the government had provided significant relief, but he claimed the amount collected through the petroleum levy was several times higher than the relief provided.

Hafiz Naeem said he had told the prime minister that Jamaat-e-Islami would not end its protest campaign. He said that if the government failed to provide relief, the party would resume its long march in October.

The JI chief also questioned the role of commercial banks, saying Pakistanis had deposited around Rs38 trillion in banks. He questioned why banks do not pay interest on current accounts while charging interest to the government on loans funded through public deposits.

On the issue of political prisoners, Hafiz Naeem said he had always called for their release.

He also referred to the party’s previous protests over Independent Power Producers (IPPs), saying the demonstrations remained peaceful despite the arrest of around 1,500 JI workers.

Hafiz Naeem said the party would continue its protest campaign and mobilise people to pressure the government to accept its demands.

He warned that if the government did not agree to the demands, the long march would start from Multan, asking supporters to wait for further developments.

The JI had earlier postponed its long march until the first week of October following a request from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while maintaining that its sit-ins and protest campaign would continue.