Jamaat-e-Islami launched sit-in protests across Pakistan's four provinces [1] to demand the abolition of the petroleum levy and lower fuel prices.
The unrest signals growing public frustration with inflation and fiscal constraints linked to IMF requirements, potentially destabilizing the current government.
Led by emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the party organized demonstrations in major cities and across the country's four provinces [1]. Protesters targeted highways, with blockades reported in over 500 locations [5]. Thousands of participants joined the effort [5], causing significant disruptions to traffic and commerce, particularly in Lahore [3].
Rehman said the time has come for a decisive public struggle against the petroleum levy [4]. The party is specifically calling for the levy to be abolished and for the price of petrol to be reduced to Rs225 per litre [3].
These protests come amid a broader economic crisis characterized by crippling inflation [5]. The party has framed the struggle as a fight against oppressive taxes, and the perceived influence of the "IPP mafia" regarding power bills [1].
Rehman warned that the government should not attempt to suppress the demonstrations. He said any attempt to block the protest could turn it into a movement to oust the government [2].
The movement has paralyzed key transit routes as cadres maintain their positions on the highways [5]. The protests were announced for a Friday and continued through Sunday [2, 4].
“"any attempt to block the protest could turn it into a movement to oust the government."”
The mobilization by Jamaat-e-Islami highlights the volatility of Pakistan's current economic state. By linking fuel prices to broader systemic issues and IMF-driven austerity, the party is attempting to channel widespread middle- and lower-class economic distress into a political movement. The scale of the highway blockades suggests a high level of organizational capacity that could force the government to either concede on fuel pricing or risk a wider civil uprising.
