Jamaat-e-Islami Announces Major Anti-Inflation Protest in Islamabad on May 15, Strike Option on the Table

Islamabad — Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has announced a large-scale protest rally in Islamabad on May 15 against soaring inflation and skyrocketing petroleum prices, warning that a nationwide strike and wheel-jam strike remain viable options if the government fails to act.
Addressing a press conference in the capital, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman delivered a sharp critique of the government’s fuel pricing policy, revealing that while the actual cost of petrol based on international market rates stands at PKR 271 per litre, consumers are being charged PKR 401 per litre — with PKR 117 added through petroleum levy and various taxes alone.
“This is daylight robbery of the common man,” the JI chief declared, questioning why petroleum prices have not risen in neighbouring India and Bangladesh, while Pakistani citizens continue to bear an ever-growing financial burden. “Are the effects of global conflicts falling only on Pakistan?” he asked.
Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman demanded the immediate abolition of the petroleum levy, calling it an unjust and regressive tax that disproportionately harms the poor and middle class. He warned that if the government did not respond to public grievances, Jamaat-e-Islami would escalate its protest movement, including shutdowns and transport strikes across the country.
The announcement comes amid record fuel prices and a broader cost-of-living crisis gripping Pakistan, with millions of households struggling to meet basic needs as inflation continues to erode purchasing power.