PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has stepped up preparations for a sit-in outside the Governor’s House on August 16 to protest repeated increases in petroleum prices and the petroleum levy imposed on consumers.
As part of the preparations, the JI KP has established a control room to coordinate arrangements for the protest.The sit-in is part of a countrywide protest campaign announced by JI Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeemur Rahman at all provincial headquarters against what the party describes as frequent and excessive increases in petroleum prices and taxes collected from consumers in the form of petroleum levy.
JI KP (Central) deputy chief Mian Sohaibuddin Kakakhel has been named as in-charge of the protest movement in the province. For arrangements of the sit-in, some 15 committees have been constituted to oversee the protest demonstration.
The control room established for the sit-in is coordinating with JI workers and office-bearers across the province and taking measures to ensure maximum public participation in the protest wherein thousands of people from different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are expected to participate.
Talking to reporters, Mian Sohaibuddin said that a large number of people from across the province would participate in the sit-in to raise their voice for public rights.He said that the duration of the sit-in could be extended indefinitely if the government failed to provide immediate relief to consumers by reducing petrol and diesel prices and did not pass on the benefit of the decline in international oil prices directly to the public.
The JI would continue its protest until petroleum prices were reduced and the taxes and petroleum levy were withdrawn, he added.It was the government’s responsibility to provide relief to the people, he said, adding that repeated increases in petroleum prices had put an enormous burden on ordinary citizens and aggravated their financial difficulties.The JI leader said the August 16 sit-in would become a strong voice for the protection of public rights and it would mount pressure on the government to provide relief to the people.
