Government has collected Rs. 1.9 trillion through petroleum levy since last year; additional burden on the public has become unbearable
Rulers should end their lavish spending and privileges instead of burdening the people; the nation will demonstrate unity under Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman’s leadership on August 7
Lahore, Umar Hayat: Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore, Ziauddin Ansari Advocate, has strongly criticized the government’s petroleum levy, describing it as an “extortion tax” imposed on the public. He said the government is effectively dropping a “petrol bomb” on citizens every day by continuously burdening them with higher fuel prices and excessive taxation.He stated that the government has collected approximately Rs. 1.9 trillion through the petroleum levy since last year, despite the fact that the levy has no direct connection with the actual price of petroleum products. He added that consumers are currently paying around Rs. 125 per litre in the form of petroleum levy and other taxes, while the government continues to make annual payments of nearly Rs. 2 trillion to Independent Power Producers (IPPs), the financial burden of which is ultimately being passed on to the public.Ziauddin Ansari said that soaring inflation, continuously rising fuel prices, and increasing electricity tariffs have made life extremely difficult for ordinary citizens. The cost of essential commodities has gone beyond the reach of the common man, while mounting economic pressure has pushed millions of families into severe financial hardship.He urged the government to stop placing additional financial burdens on the people and instead reduce unnecessary official privileges, extravagant expenditures, and wasteful public spending. He emphasized that meaningful relief should be provided to the people through prudent financial management and responsible economic policies.The Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore appealed to the people across Pakistan, particularly the youth, to respond to the call of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman by participating in the National Unity Protest on August 7. He said the demonstration would serve as a peaceful and democratic expression of public opposition to inflation, the petroleum levy, excessive taxation, and anti-people economic policies.
