Jamaat-e-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North chief Inayatullah Khan has demanded the withdrawal of the petroleum levy and further reductions in fuel prices, saying the public should receive relief amid rising inflation.
Addressing a monthly training gathering in Lower Dir, Inayatullah Khan said the recent reduction in petroleum prices was the result of Jamaat-e-Islami’s sustained public campaign, protests and advocacy against the financial burden on consumers.
He claimed that the government had approached the party following public pressure and that seven rounds of negotiations had taken place so far.
The JI leader urged people to support the party’s movement, saying further reductions in petroleum prices were possible if the public remained united in demanding relief.
He said the government should stop collecting what he described as an “extortionary” petroleum levy and provide additional relief to people struggling with inflation.
Fuel Prices And Inflation
Inayatullah Khan said rising prices, unemployment, expensive electricity and gas bills, and the increasing cost of essential goods had placed a heavy burden on households.
He stressed that lower petroleum prices could benefit more than just vehicle owners, as fuel costs also affect transportation, food supplies, agriculture and industrial activity.
He described the recent price reduction as the outcome of public pressure rather than a concession by the government, adding that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue demanding further cuts.
JI Leader Criticises Interest-Based Economic System
Discussing Pakistan’s economic challenges, Inayatullah Khan identified the interest-based financial system, corruption, mismanagement and weak leadership as major causes of the country’s economic difficulties.
He argued that Pakistan could not achieve sustainable progress without replacing the interest-based system with an economy based on Islamic principles.
According to him, a significant portion of national revenue is spent on debt repayments and interest, leaving fewer resources for education, healthcare, employment and public development.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s mineral reserves, natural gas, fertile agricultural land, water resources and young population, saying the country had considerable potential but lacked effective and honest leadership to utilise these assets.
Calls For Equitable Use Of National Resources
The JI leader called for a system in which national resources benefit the entire population rather than a small group of influential families or elite classes.
He urged the government to utilise minerals, oil, gas and other natural resources for national development, eliminate corruption, promote merit, improve education and healthcare, and create employment opportunities for young people.
Inayatullah Khan said Jamaat-e-Islami offered an alternative political and economic framework based on an interest-free economy, justice, transparent governance and fair distribution of public resources.
He added that Pakistan needed leadership that placed national interests above personal gains and treated the public as the real source of power.
Call For Organisational Mobilisation
Inayatullah Khan maintained that Jamaat-e-Islami had the leadership, organisational structure and political vision to help address the country’s challenges.
He urged party workers to strengthen public outreach, improve organisational and training activities, highlight people’s problems and organise citizens to demand their rights.
He concluded that Pakistan needed a change in the system rather than merely a change of political faces, reaffirming that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue its struggle for what he described as a system based on Islamic principles, justice and public welfare.