JI rejects PM Shehbaz’s fuel relief scheme, says it cannot substitute for abolition of petroleum levy

ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Tuesday rejected the prime minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme, saying it could not substitute for the abolition of the petroleum levy. On Sunday, PM Shehbaz announced a “relief scheme” for users of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles of up to 800cc to “alleviate the burden” of rising global oil prices. The JI delegation, led by JI Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch and comprising Syed Farasat Shah, Nasrullah Randhawa, Inayatullah Khan and Ziauddin Ansari, held the third round of talks with the government in Islamabad. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, Energy Minister Awais Khan Leghari, Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani represented the government. Talking to the media after the meeting on Tuesday, Baloch said government task forces set up by the prime minister gave detailed briefings on petroleum prices and independent power producers (IPPs). Energy Minister Leghari briefed the JI team on progress in negotiations with IPPs. Baloch said the JI had categorically rejected the Rs100 petrol relief, insisting that the party’s protest movement would continue until the petroleum levy was completely