Pakistan reschedules talks on abolishing fuel levy
In Lahore, Pakistan, the third round of talks between Jamaat-e-Islami and the government on abolishing the fuel levy will take place on Tuesday, September 15. The meeting was initially planned for Monday but was postponed at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the party said.
As Dawn reports, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal conveyed the government's message to Jamaat-e-Islami Vice President Liaqat Baloch. According to the party, talks on independent power producers are scheduled for Wednesday.
Talks and proposals
Baloch said the party would present its position on the fuel levy and independent power producers. The sides have already held two rounds of talks and agreed to establish expert committees that will consider proposals to reduce the levy and provide assistance to the population.
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According to the publication, the government collects 114 Pakistani rupees in taxes and levies per liter of petrol and 100 rupees per liter of diesel fuel. During the first round of talks on September 7, Jamaat-e-Islami handed six key proposals to the government committee.
Protests
Baloch said the party had emphasized the significant impact on the national economy of the direct fuel levy of 80 rupees per liter of petrol and diesel fuel. He also said that peaceful sit-in protests across the country would continue in parallel with the talks.
Jamaat-e-Islami has been holding protests against the fuel levy since August 16 in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and dozens of other locations. Party leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned on September 12 that protesters would march to Islamabad on September 20 if the levy was not abolished.
