KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has demanded an immediate reduction in petrol prices, warning that rising transport fares and inflation are fuelling public unrest.

Speaking at a press conference at Idara Noor-i-Haq here on Monday, he called for the abolition of levies on petroleum products and electricity, accusing the government of first sharply increasing fuel prices and then offering only partial relief.

“The burden on the poor and middle class continues to grow through excessive taxation, while large loans of influential people are written off,” he said.

He criticised what he termed the ruling elite’s “lavish lifestyles and protocol culture”, and suggested that no government official should be allowed to use a vehicle exceeding 1300cc (cubic centimetres), at state expense.

Hafiz Naeem warns that inflation and increasing transport fares fuelling unrest; urges govt to provide relief to middle class, poor

He also called for a review of agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), proposing that “take-and-pay” arrangements be converted into “use-and-pay” models.

He said Pakistan was paying for electricity and liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification capacity that was not being fully utilised, claiming that the country was incurring daily payments of around $538,000 on idle LNG terminal infrastructure.

On Karachi’s civic situation, he said recent rainfall of 38 millimetres had once again exposed the performance of the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government, alleging that the city remained in a state of decay and neglect.

The JI leader directed Saifuddin Advocate, leader of the opposition in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) City Council, to speed up the process for a no-confidence motion to “get the illegally and unconstitutionally installed mayor deposed”.

‘Trump a risk to global peace’

The JI supremo expressed solidarity with the people of Iran, praising what he described as their steadfastness in the face of pressure from the United States and Israel.

He said that Washington and Tel Aviv were pursuing a “Greater Israel” agenda, and said the conflict was rooted not merely in politics but in “religious extremism and ideological motives”.

He strongly condemned US President Donald Trump, declaring him a “risk to global peace”, over his policies aimed at destabilising not only the region but the entire globe.

He said that the United Nations needs to take notice of the statements by the US president. The UN should take notice of the implications of placing global affairs in the hands of an “unstable man”.

Referring to Palestine, the JI chief said the Muslim world’s leadership had failed to respond adequately to the situation at Al-Aqsa Mosque and in Gaza.

He urged Pakistan to play a leading diplomatic role alongside Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in devising a regional strategy on Palestine.

He also called for closer defence coordination among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Iran, and demanded the completion of the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline as well as independent trade ties with Tehran “without succumbing to American pressure”.

Earlier on Sunday night, Mr Rehman inaugurated the newly renovated Shahrah-i-Humayoun as well as Jefco Ground in North Nazimabad.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2026