Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is set to stage nationwide protests today against the continued increase in petroleum product prices and the petroleum levy.
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Sit-ins are being held in provincial capitals, including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta, as the party calls for relief from rising fuel costs.
In Karachi, roads leading to the Sindh Chief Minister’s House have been closed to general traffic for security reasons, with containers placed at Metropole, PIDC and other key routes.
Traffic police have also been deployed on surrounding roads to manage traffic and divert vehicles.
According to details, the protests are scheduled to begin at 3:30pm, while JI leadership and workers will stage sit-ins outside the Chief Ministers’ Houses in the provincial capitals.
Also Read: Pakistan collects Rs1.567 Trl in Petroleum Levy during FY2025-26: FinMin
In Lahore, party workers have been directed to gather at Masjid-e-Shuhada, with the main sit-in outside the Chief Minister’s House scheduled for 6pm.
The protests are being organised as part of JI’s campaign against rising fuel prices and the government’s petroleum levy, which the party says has increased the financial burden on citizens.
Jamaat-e-Islami had previously organised demonstrations at more than 500 locations across the country against increases in petroleum prices and the levy.
The party had planned the latest sit-ins earlier but postponed them due to Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations. The demonstrations were subsequently rescheduled for August 16.
Provincial authorities have also taken security and administrative measures at provincial headquarters ahead of the protests. The measures are aimed at preventing protesters from entering restricted areas or disrupting the functioning of key government offices.
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The protests come amid official data showing that the federal government collected Rs1.567 trillion in petroleum levy during FY2025-26, exceeding the budgeted target of Rs1.468 trillion by approximately Rs99 billion.
According to Ministry of Finance data, Pakistan’s total tax and non-tax revenue stood at Rs19.773 trillion during the fiscal year.
The government also recorded a primary surplus of Rs3.634 trillion, exceeding the target agreed under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The Finance Ministry attributed the stronger primary balance partly to lower expenditure and higher petroleum levy collection.
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Despite the primary surplus, Pakistan recorded an overall budget deficit of Rs4.763 trillion during FY2025-26.
The government raised Rs3.313 trillion in total borrowing during the year, including Rs2.135 trillion from domestic sources, while net external financing stood at Rs1.113 trillion.
Debt servicing remained a major component of government expenditure, with Rs6.947 trillion spent on interest payments. Of this amount, Rs6.040 trillion went towards domestic debt servicing, while Rs917 billion was paid on external debt.
The latest JI protests are therefore taking place against the backdrop of continued pressure on household budgets, high government borrowing and increased reliance on petroleum-related revenues.
