Jamaat-e-Islami to hold sit-ins nationwide against petrol price, levy hikes
- By Nazir Bhatti -
- Aug 16, 2026
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is holding sit-ins across the country today to protest increases in petroleum product prices and the petroleum levy, ARY News reported on Sunday.
According to details, protests and sit-ins will be held in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta, with the demonstrations scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.
In Lahore, party workers have been instructed to gather at Masjid-e-Shuhada, while JI leadership and protesters will stage sit-ins outside the Chief Ministers’ Houses at 6 p.m.
The Jamaat-e-Islami had previously held protests at more than 500 locations across the country against repeated increases in petroleum prices and the levy.
However, the sit-ins were postponed due to Independence Day celebrations, and the party subsequently announced that they would be held on August 16.
Meanwhile, in view of the protests announced by JI, provincial authorities have taken measures at provincial headquarters to prevent demonstrators from entering or disrupting key areas.
Read more: Pakistan collected Rs1.567 trillion in petroleum levy in FY2025-26: Finance ministry data shows
Pakistan collected Rs1.567 trillion in petroleum levy during the fiscal year 2025-26, exceeding the budgeted target of Rs1.468 trillion by Rs99 billion, according to data released by the Ministry of Finance.
The Finance Ministry said the government’s total tax and non-tax revenue stood at Rs19.773 trillion during the last fiscal year. Meanwhile, the primary balance reached a surplus of Rs3.634 trillion, exceeding the target set under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The surplus was attributed to lower expenditures and higher petroleum levy collection.
Pakistan recorded a budget deficit of Rs4.763 trillion during FY2025-26. During the year, the government raised a total of Rs3.313 trillion in borrowing, including Rs2.135 trillion from domestic sources, while net external financing stood at Rs1.113 trillion.
Debt servicing remained a major component of government expenditure, with Rs6.947 trillion spent on interest payments. Of this amount, Rs6.040 trillion was paid on domestic debt and Rs917 billion on external debt.