The government and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) agreed on Tuesday to form a six-member committee to recommend ways to expand the Prime Minister's fuel relief scheme and draw up feasible proposals for a phased reduction in the petroleum levy. The understanding was reached when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met a JI delegation led by party chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman at the PM House in Islamabad.
According to the PM Office, each side will name three members. The government will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and the PM's adviser on political affairs Rana Sanaullah. Proposals on the levy are to be considered in the budget.
The prime minister acknowledged the burden that rising petrol prices have placed on the public, particularly low-income households, but said the increase was driven by regional and international developments rather than government policy. He said 12.6 million people had so far registered for the fuel relief scheme.
Hafiz Naeem has given the government 10 days to abolish the levy and warned that JI would resume its march on Islamabad in mid-November if the demand is not met. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik were among the ministers at the meeting.