The Jamaat-i-Islami launched its protest march towards Islamabad on Sunday, with party Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warning that if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy, the JI’s protest could turn into one to oust the government.
Naeem was addressing JI supporters at Karachi’s Cantonment Station before departing for Islamabad.
“In line with our strategy, people from across the country have departed for Islamabad,” he said, adding that a road caravan had also departed for the federal capital in addition to the “train march”.
He said the rally would pass through Hyderabad, Landhi, Nawabshah, Rohri and Sukkur, adding that “we will invite our sisters to join us once we reach [Islamabad]”.
Rehman said the purpose of the march was to help relieve the burden on the least privileged.
“Instead of providing relief to the people, the government has decided that it would make the nation pay for its bad governance,” he added. “We demand that the levy extortion should end. Petrol prices would then reduce quickly and reach around Rs200 per litre. That’s when the economy could move forward.”
He said that the government had increased petrol prices more than any other state in the region. “The government wants to rob the common people in times of crisis,” Naeem claimed.
The JI emir said voicing complaints on social media was pointless, urging supporters to step out of their houses to protest the injustice.
“For the past 36-37 days, nationwide protests have been ongoing,” he said, adding that protests were currently under way in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpur Khas, Larkana, Naushahro Feroze, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and various cities of KP.
“JI has mobilised entire Pakistan,” he said. “No hindrances can stop the protesters.”
“When we reach Islamabad, it’s not guaranteed that the situation would remain under control,” Rehman warned. If the government tried to suppress the movement, the situation would get out of control, he said.
The party posted on X that the “train march”, led by Rehman from Karachi, would reach Rohri, Sukkur to hold a rally at 8pm. The protesters would depart for Multan on Monday.
The JI has been holding nationwide protests against fuel levy, which is more than Rs100 per litre.
On Saturday, a government delegation, including PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, and Salman Rafique, called on the JI leadership at its Mansoorah headquarters in Lahore, but the meeting failed to break the deadlock.
During the talks, the government delegation asked the JI to postpone the long march in view of security threats. However, JI leader Liaquat Baloch said the long march would remain necessary until the levy imposed on the public was withdrawn.
Talks between the JI and the government began on Sept 7. The party 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.
Meanwhile, PTI is also scheduled to stage its protest in the capital on Sept 27 for the release of Imran Khan, among other demands.
It also turned down the government’s request to postpone the march, the party, the Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said a day earlier.
Security arrangements in capital reviewed; Pims placed on ‘high alert’
Ahead of the potential long marches, Islamabad police chief Sohail Chaudhry and Commissioner Mohammad Usman reviewed security arrangements at major entry and exit points and other key locations, APP reported.
Hundreds of containers have been placed at the city’s entry points as the administration braced for back-to-back protests.
During the visit, the chief commissioner said maintaining law and order was a top priority and stressed that citizens, traders, businesses, professionals and government employees should be able to carry out their lawful activities without unnecessary disruption.
Furthermore, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) was placed on “high alert”, according to a notification circulated on Saturday, a copy of which is available with Dawn.
The circular directed officers and staff to “remain vigilant, readily available and fully prepared to respond in case of emergency call”. Superintendent transport was urged to ensure ambulance availability round the clock during the ‘high alert’ period until Sep 30.
The circular directed that emergency, ICU, operation theatre, trauma, nursing, diagnostic, blood bank, pharmacy and other critical services would remain “fully operational with adequate backup arrangements”.
“All concerned are directed to make all necessary arrangement readily in case of mass casualty situation/surge,” the circular said.
“Emergency and ambulance access routes shall remain clear at all times,” it added.
Islamabad’s Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital was also placed on high alert.
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