Next round of JI-govt talks on petroleum levy rescheduled for Tuesday

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and the government will hold the third round of talks on abolishing the petroleum levy on Tuesday, September 15, after the government asked for an extension, the party said on Sunday. According to the party's information department, the session was first set for Monday, but, the JI claimed, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked for a delay. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal relayed the government's position to Liaquat Baloch, the JI vice president, and a separate session on independent power producers (IPPs) is set for Wednesday.

Baloch said JI will set out its stance on the levy and on IPPs during the meetings. Two rounds have taken place so far, with discussions starting once both parties accepted the idea of expert committees to examine ways of lowering the levy and easing costs for consumers. Dawn reported that combined taxes and duties come to Rs114 a litre on petrol and Rs100 on diesel.

At the first round on September 7, JI put forward six proposals, and Baloch called the direct Rs80 per litre levy on petrol and diesel severely damaging to the economy. Sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, plus dozens of other sites since August 16, will continue while talks proceed. JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned on Saturday that the march towards Islamabad would start on September 20 if the levy is not withdrawn.