ISLAMABAD – Jamaat-e-Islami’s Long March continues its journey towards Islamabad, with the government reportedly to revoke petroleum levy for one year to break the ongoing deadlock.
JI march is currently moving from Rohri towards Multan, while the government has once again reached out to the party leadership, urging it to stop the protest. JI has held its ground as the party reiterated that its Super Long March will continue until the government agrees to its demand for the abolition of the petroleum levy.
The government now proposed removing the petroleum levy for one year and has also offered a major public relief package to the JI leadership. The proposed package, however, would need to be reviewed and approved by JI’s technical committee. The government delegation has also reportedly assured the party that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on board with the proposed relief measures.
A direct meeting between the prime minister and JI leadership is expected after Shehbaz Sharif returns to the country.
The latest proposal could open a window for negotiations. JI has indicated that it may consider pausing the long march if the government demonstrates that it is genuinely serious about providing relief to the public. However, there is an important condition.
JI has made it clear that a pause would not mean the end of the campaign. The party maintains that the long march will not be called off permanently unless the petroleum levy is completely abolished. The government may still have an opportunity to stop the march from reaching Islamabad, but a final settlement will depend on what happens to the levy.
Interestingly, members of the government delegation are also reportedly in favour of ending the petroleum levy. One government member said elected representatives would welcome any measure aimed at providing relief to the public. With the march now moving towards Multan, attention is turning to the next round of government-JI talks.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to contact JI leadership soon, potentially setting the stage for a crucial breakthrough before the march reaches the capital.
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