Govt, JI resume talks over petroleum levy, public relief

The government and Jamaat-e-Islami are set to resume negotiations today (Tuesday) over the petroleum levy and provide relief to the people, with the religious party insisting on a gradual withdrawal of the petroleum levy.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch said the party would press the government to provide substantial relief to the public and gradually abolish the levy.

The government’s negotiating team is being led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and includes Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanaullah.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s delegation comprises Liaquat Baloch, Syed Farasat Shah and Engineer Nasrullah Randhawa.

Baloch said securing public relief was the party’s foremost priority, warning that it would announce a date for launching a long march from Multan to Islamabad if the negotiations failed to deliver relief.