Jamaat-e-Islami’s “Super Long March” towards Islamabad began from Karachi today, with party chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman leading a train carrying party workers, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday.
According to the report, the Rehman Baba Express departed Karachi with a large number of JI workers on board. Hyderabad will be the first stop on the march, where participants are scheduled to be received.
Addressing a public gathering at the Karachi Cantt station before the departure, Hafiz Naeem said the protest would continue until the petroleum levy was abolished.
He said the scope of the protest would be expanded if the government failed to provide relief to the public. He also called on the government to take steps to reduce the financial burden on people.
Hafiz Naeem said Jamaat-e-Islami had no personal agenda and was seeking relief for the public. He warned that after the march reached Islamabad, it could not be guaranteed that the situation would remain under control.
He also said no obstacle would be able to stop the march from reaching its destination.
Earlier, the TV channel reported that Hafiz Naeem will be accompanied by the JI Karachi chief and other members of the party leadership. Several party leaders are also travelling with their families for the long march to Islamabad. Banners have been put up at Karachi Cantt Railway Station ahead of the departure.
The party has announced a schedule for what it calls the “Super Long March”. A public gathering will be held at Karachi Cantt before the Rahman Baba Express is scheduled to leave the station at noon.
According to the announced programme, participants will be welcomed at Hyderabad, Tando Adam, Nawabshah and Mehrabpur railway stations. A public gathering is also scheduled to take place in Rohri, Sukkur, at 8pm.
On the second day, the march participants will travel towards Multan on the Shalimar Express. A welcome for the participants is also planned in Ghotki.
The train march forms part of Jamaat-e-Islami’s wider protests over fuel prices and the petroleum levy. The party has been calling for a reduction in the levy following increases in petrol and diesel prices.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman called for the petroleum levy to be abolished instead of relying on relief packages. He said the packages did not address the wider financial pressure faced by consumers.
He said people were finding it difficult to afford two meals a day while additional taxes were being imposed. Hafiz Naeem said customs duty, the climate support levy and petroleum levy together amounted to around Rs106 to Rs107 per litre, with further charges and margins added by dealers, transporters, refineries and oil marketing companies.
The JI chief also criticised the government’s monetary policy. He said a reduction in the policy rate could provide savings comparable to the amount collected through the petroleum levy.
Hafiz Naeem rejected the government’s position that its commitments to the International Monetary Fund and dependence on banks prevented such measures. He also questioned the independence of the State Bank of Pakistan.
He criticised the government’s fuel relief package, saying its eligibility criteria would leave many motorcycle users outside the scheme. He said those who qualified would receive Rs500 a week in relief.
Jamaat-e-Islami has been leading protests across Pakistan since mid-August, demanding a reduction in the petroleum levy following substantial increases in petrol and diesel prices. The party has linked the increases to energy supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
The government has imposed the petroleum levy as part of its commitments under loan programmes with the International Monetary Fund. According to the figures provided in the report, petrol carries Rs114 per litre in taxes, including an Rs80 per litre levy, while diesel carries Rs100 per litre in taxes and duties, including a Rs77.28 per litre levy. An additional Rs5 per litre climate support charge applies to both fuels.
Reporters: Baseem Iftikhar and Abubakar Sheikh