By Faizan Khan
LAHORE: The head of Jamaat-e-Islami has described the petroleum levy as “daylight robbery”, accusing the government of transferring the burden of its policy failures onto ordinary citizens through rising fuel costs and energy-related charges.
Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said the authorities had steadily increased financial pressure on households at a time when inflation and utility costs were already straining incomes. He warned that the party would announce its future course of action after Eid and was prepared to launch nationwide street protests if its demands were not addressed.
In his statement, he also criticized payments made to independent power producers through capacity charges, arguing that the arrangement had become an additional burden on consumers. He said the structure of the power sector was effectively forcing the public to pay for electricity that was not being consumed, describing it as another example of systemic inefficiency being passed on to households.
Rehman further argued that the broader economic framework reflected a pattern in which policy costs were repeatedly shifted onto citizens rather than being absorbed through reforms in governance or energy management. He said this approach had deepened public frustration and eroded trust in official economic decision-making.
Alongside his criticism of fuel and energy pricing, he urged the government to hold talks with traders over commercial operating hours. He suggested that shops and markets should be allowed to remain open until 10pm instead of the current 8pm restriction, arguing that the earlier closing time was affecting business activity and limiting earnings for small traders.
