Government and JI Form Joint Committee on Petroleum Levy Relief

Islamabad – (Staff Reporter/Web Desk) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) delegation have agreed to form a joint committee on the petroleum levy. The panel will suggest ways to give the public more fuel relief.

The JI team was led by Hafiz Naeemur Rehman. The meeting took place on Tuesday, and the Prime Minister’s Office shared the details in an official statement.

The government side of the committee will have three members. They are Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanaullah, who advises the Prime Minister on political affairs. Three JI representatives will also sit on the panel.

During the meeting, Sharif thanked JI for choosing talks over protest on petroleum prices. He said dialogue is the best way to solve public problems.

The JI delegation asked the government to end the petroleum levy fully. They also asked for more relief for ordinary people who are struggling with high fuel costs.

The Prime Minister admitted that rising fuel prices have hurt many families. He said low-income households feel the pain the most. He promised that the government will keep giving relief as far as its budget allows.

Sharif blamed the price hikes on regional and international conditions. He said the government is also working through diplomacy to ease the crisis in the region.

He told the delegation that 12.7 million people have signed up for the fuel relief scheme for low-income groups. This shows how many families need help.

The new committee has two main jobs. First, it will suggest how to extend the scheme so that more eligible people can benefit. Second, it will prepare proposals to cut the petroleum levy in phases in the upcoming budget.

For now, the petroleum levy stays in place. Many people will watch closely to see what the committee recommends in the coming weeks.