- Talks focus on petroleum levy and rising fuel: Iqbal.
- Govt says workable proposals will receive consideration.
- JI highlights public frustration over rising utility costs.
ISLAMABAD: After talks with the government, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Monday said it had submitted six proposals concerning the petroleum levy and would continue negotiations while keeping its protest ongoing.
“The government had collected more revenue from the petroleum levy than the target set in the budget,” JI leader Liaquat Baloch said while speaking to journalists after holding negotiations with a government team.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal — leading the delegation — met a JI delegation in Islamabad to discuss the petroleum levy and rising petrol prices, according to a statement. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including PM’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Bilal Azhar Kiani.
The meeting was held after JI’s nationwide strike against the petroleum levy and inflation, which received a mixed response as markets and shops partially closed in parts of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), while businesses largely remained open in Punjab and Balochistan.
The party has also been holding sit-ins for more than 20 days in provincial capitals and other cities as part of its campaign against the petroleum levy and rising inflation.
Iqbal, while talking to journalists after meeting, said the government had sought suggestions from JI, adding that no government wanted protests to take place in the country.
He said the government sometimes faced difficulties, but JI’s proposals would be forwarded to the relevant ministries for consideration.
“Everyone is concerned about the public interest,” Iqbal said, adding that the government did not want to place an additional burden on the people.
He said the government would be pleased if relief could be provided to the public in any way.
For his part, JI leader Baloch said the party had presented six proposals to the government and that the government would review them, adding that it had sought three days to consider the suggestions.
Baloch said negotiations were the ultimate solution and the party also understood that protests were not a solution.
He welcomed the fact that the PML-N government had given negotiations its first priority. “Electricity, gas and petrol becoming expensive is increasing frustration among the people,” Baloch said.
He said JI understood that the government was under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and that many decisions were being taken out of necessity.
In a separate statement issued by the Ministry of Planning and Development, Iqbal said petrol prices had declined when relations between the United States and Iran improved, while prices had to be increased due to the escalation in tensions.
He said Monday’s meeting was held to review JI’s work on the petroleum levy, adding that there were certain national economic realities that could not be denied.
The minister also clarified that the government did not determine the policy rate, as the State Bank of Pakistan was autonomous in this matter. He said the State Bank’s formal policy board decides the policy rate after considering inflation.
Iqbal said JI’s proposals concerned different ministries and their opinions would be sought on them. He added that after receiving feedback from the relevant institutions, the second round of negotiations would be held within three days.
The minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wanted economic recovery to translate into relief for the public. “The government will welcome workable proposals and will explain those that are not feasible,” Iqbal said.
