Govt, JI talks end inconclusively as Islamabad seeks delay in long march over security threats

LAHORE: The fifth round of talks between the government and the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) concluded on Saturday, with the government seeking the postponement of the party’s planned long march due to security threats. The government delegation included Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah and Punjab Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique. The JI delegation comprised Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch, Acting Secretary General Nazir Ahmad Janjua, Special Assistant to the JI Emir Umair Idrees, JI Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari and Information Secretary Shakeel Ahmad Tarrabi. During the talks, the government delegation requested the JI to postpone the long march in view of security threats. However, Baloch said the long march would remain necessary until the levy imposed on the public was withdrawn.

The government levies Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel. The JI has been staging regular sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and dozens of other locations across the country since August 16 to protest the levy. The government delegation assured the JI that extraordinary relief would soon be provided to the people. It also said the government was under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and that an IMF delegation was expected to visit Pakistan shortly. Baloch said the government must take practical steps to address the people’s demands; otherwise, the JI would definitely proceed with its protest and long march. He said that, as per the schedule, the “ Super Long March ” under the leadership of the JI emir would begin from Karachi on Sunday. Talks between the JI and the government began on Sept 7 and have so far comprised four inconclusive rounds. The fifth round on Saturday also ended without an agreement. ‘No turning…