Jamaat-e-Islami Postpones Islamabad March, Awaits Meeting with PM

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has decided to delay its planned march on Islamabad, announcing it will continue its sit-in in Multan until holding talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman disclosed the update during a press conference in Multan on Tuesday.

Hafiz Naeem stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted him, requesting the postponement of the march and inviting the JI leadership for discussions. Hafiz Naeem confirmed the party would meet the prime minister after his return to Pakistan. In the meantime, JI’s sit-in at Multan would persist.

Hafiz Naeem emphasized that the protest movement would continue and the party would not back down from its demands. He criticised the government's relief measures as inadequate, and pressed for lower fuel prices and the removal of the petroleum levy. JI has proposed several measures to the government in this regard, he stated, but officials have cited commitments under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme as an obstacle to reducing the levy.

The JI leader said the party would seek written assurances from the government before deciding any future actions. Hafiz Naeem noted that prior to the march, several rounds of meetings were held with federal ministers, and the party’s campaign has included sit-ins at 510 locations nationwide and a shutter-down strike against rising fuel prices and inflation.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Prime Minister Shehbaz spoke with Hafiz Naeem by phone and highlighted government efforts to provide relief to economically vulnerable and middle-income groups. Both leaders agreed to meet for further consultations after the prime minister's return.