Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday said the party has postponed the next phase of its march on Islamabad and would remain in Multan until a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Addressing a press conference in Multan, Hafiz Naeem said the prime minister had contacted him and requested that the march be postponed, while also inviting the JI leadership for talks.
“We will definitely meet the prime minister,” he said, adding that discussions would take place once PM Shehbaz returned to Pakistan.
Hafiz Naeem said the JI sit-in in Multan would continue until the meeting, reiterating that the party would not withdraw from its protest movement.
“Whatever happens, we will continue our movement and the sit-ins will continue,” he said.
The JI chief said the government’s relief measures were insufficient and reiterated the party’s demand for a reduction in fuel prices and the abolition of the petroleum levy.
He said JI had presented several proposals to the government aimed at lowering petrol prices, but officials maintained that the levy could not be reduced because of the country’s commitments under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
The JI emir said the party would seek written assurances from the government before making any decision regarding its future course of action.
He said several rounds of meetings had been held with federal ministers before the march, while the party’s nationwide protest campaign had put pressure on the government.
Hafiz Naeem said JI had held sit-ins at 510 locations across the country and staged a shutter-down strike as part of its campaign against rising fuel prices and inflation.
He said the party has no personal agenda and was seeking relief for the public amid rising living costs.
Hafiz Naeem reiterated that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue its campaign while engaging in negotiations with the government.
PM urges JI chief to postpone Islamabad sit-in
PM Shehbaz spoke to Hafiz Naeem by telephone and asked him to postpone the sit-in in Islamabad, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.
During the conversation, the prime minister said the government was providing relief on petroleum products to economically vulnerable and middle-income sections of society amid difficult circumstances.
He said the government would continue making efforts to provide relief to the public to the extent possible.
According to the PMO, Hafiz Naeem welcomed the prime minister’s suggestion and said Jamaat-e-Islami was considering postponing the sit-in.
The two leaders agreed to meet after the prime minister’s return from his visit and continue consultations on the matter, the PMO said.
2026-09-22 15:49:00
