LAHORE: The fifth round of talks between the government and the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) concluded on Saturday, with the government seeking the postponement of the party’s planned long march due to security threats.

The government delegation included Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah and Punjab Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique.

The JI delegation comprised Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch, Acting Secretary General Nazir Ahmad Janjua, Special Assistant to the JI Emir Umair Idrees, JI Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari and Information Secretary Shakeel Ahmad Tarrabi.

During the talks, the government delegation requested the JI to postpone the long march in view of security threats.

However, Baloch said the long march would remain necessary until the levy imposed on the public was withdrawn.

The government levies Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel. The JI 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.

The government delegation assured the JI that extraordinary relief would soon be provided to the people. It also said the government was under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and that an IMF delegation was expected to visit Pakistan shortly.

Baloch said the government must take practical steps to address the people’s demands; otherwise, the JI would definitely proceed with its protest and long march.

He said that, as per the schedule, the “Super Long March” under the leadership of the JI emir would begin from Karachi on Sunday.

Talks between the JI and the government began on Sept 7 and have so far comprised four inconclusive rounds. The fifth round on Saturday also ended without an agreement.

‘No turning back’

Earlier, the party dug its heels in over its planned march, refusing to call it off unless the government abolishes the petroleum levy, with party chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announcing that protest caravans from across the country would begin moving toward the capital on Sunday.

“If the rulers cannot abolish the levy, we cannot call off our march,” Rehman said at a press conference in Mansoorah, setting the stage for a potential standoff with the authorities.

The government, equipped with a recent Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruling against activities that curtail the freedom of movement, is determined to prevent rallies from disrupting traffic and the normal flow of life in the federal capital.

Rehman promised peaceful protest and warned the government not to take any action against the protesters.

“A public rally will be held in Karachi on Saturday night, before the caravans set out for Islamabad on September 20,” he said.

The JI chief urged the government to present a concrete proposal for abolishing the petroleum levy, noting the party had already rejected the government’s fuel relief package as inadequate.

Under the government’s current relief scheme, eligible motorcycles, rickshaws, Qingqi rickshaws and cars up to 800cc are to receive a subsidy of Rs100 per litre, subject to specified monthly limits.

Rehman said relief was not a favour but a right of the people, accusing the government of avoiding structural measures to reduce the burden on consumers, saying petroleum prices had a direct impact on the cost of essential commodities across the country.

He claimed that up to Rs107 per litre was being collected as petroleum levy on petrol, in addition to other taxes.

The JI chief criticised the government for failing to curb corruption and what he described as “excessive official expenditure”, saying officials should reduce their own spending instead of asking the people to make sacrifices.

To absorb the economic impact of renewed tensions in the Middle East, the government has reintroduced austerity measures, reducing fuel provision for official vehicles by 50 per cent for a period of three months.

Islamabad march

Rehman noted that the JI’s protest movement had entered its 35th day, with more than 25 sit-ins continuing across the country. He said the party had held peaceful demonstrations in 42 cities and claimed that the movement had now become a national issue.

“We are marching for the people with their support. There is no question of turning back,” he said, insisting that the number of sit-ins was being gradually reduced as part of the JI’s strategy for the Islamabad march.

The JI chief said the government had again contacted the party for talks, but repeatedly sought more time.

“If the government does not listen to talks, it will have to listen to public pressure,” he said.

On the PTI’s protest planned for September 27 for its incarcerated founder Imran Khan, Rehman said peaceful protest was a constitutional right of every political party and that containers should not be placed to block PTI demonstrations.

He said the JI supported the PTI’s right to peaceful protest, while the PTI had also supported the JI’s right to do so.

Economic policies criticised

On negotiations, Rehman said the government had repeatedly asked the JI to submit suggestions, although, he argued, it was the government’s responsibility to address public grievances.

He recalled that his party had already presented proposals during previous rounds of talks, but the government did not accept them.

Rehman also criticised the government’s economic policies, calling for a reduction in interest rates and questioning the State Bank of Pakistan’s autonomy. He argued that the government’s role in appointments to the central bank raised questions about its independence.

He further accused the government of using the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as an excuse for withholding relief from the public while continuing what he described as lavish official expenditure.

Citing foreign travel by senior officials and expenses incurred at official meetings, the JI chief called on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to sell her official aircraft, which he valued at Rs11 billion.

Turning to the sugar and wheat sectors, the party chief alleged that powerful groups and cartels were influencing government decisions on imports and exports, further alleging farmers were not receiving adequate prices for wheat and sugarcane, contributing to higher food prices.

He also criticised payments to independent power producers (IPPs), saying Rs1.8 trillion was being paid in capacity payments. He further questioned payments to regasification plants despite what he described as gas shortages.

JI Acting Secretary General Nazir Ahmad Janjua, Vice Emir Dr Usama Razi and Deputy Secretary Azhar Iqbal Hassan were also present at the press conference.

On Friday, Rehman claimed the party’s protest movement aimed to press the government for immediate economic relief, asserting that the national exchequer could save between Rs3 trillion and Rs4 trillion if the authorities adopted the party’s proposed fiscal reforms.