PESHAWAR: Shutter-down strikes and rallies were held across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the call of the Jamaat-i-Islami against the rising oil prices and high petroleum levy.

Talking to reporters in the provincial capital, JI emir for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s central districts Abdul Wasay claimed that the protest was a huge success due to the collective efforts of party workers, traders, chambers of commerce, the KP Bar Council, district and tehsil bar associations and labour organisations.

He said that the Jamaat-i-Islami would continue to strive for protecting the people’s rights.

Mr Wasay said the shutter-down strike was observed across the country on the call of JI emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

JI says it will continue striving to protect people’s rights

He said that the government collected Rs1.9 trillion levy on petroleum products, to the misery of citizens, including those who couldn’t pay even the income tax.

The emir said that through oppressive levy taxes, the government had set a target of collecting Rs1.68 trillion in the next fiscal year.

He said that his party launched a countrywide protest against the daily increase in prices of the petroleum product.

Mr Wasay said that as part of the protest movement, a 16-day sit-in was held outside the Governor’s House that remained peaceful, while the September 3 strike was also peaceful.

He said that the Jamaat-i-Islami was protesting to protect the rights of people and would continue doing so until the petroleum levy was abolished.

The Lower and Upper Dir districts also reported a complete shutter-down strike against petroleum levy and rising inflation.

Markets and commercial centres remained closed in Timergara, Chakdara, Talash, Maidan, Khall, Munda, Samar Bagh, Rabat and Mayar.

Traders and residents expressed concerns over the government’s economic policies and the increasing financial burden on people.

However, schools and colleges as well as government offices remained open. No untoward incident was reported anywhere in the district.

In the Dera Ismail Khan district, the JI, along with the central Anjuman-i-Tajiran, Traders Ittehad and Traders Action Committee, held a rally against high petroleum prices and levy, rising electricity and gas tariffs, inflation, unemployment, corruption and deteriorating law and order situation.

JI workers and traders gathered at Town Hall and marched towards Chowgallah, where the rally turned into a public meeting.

The protesters carried banners and shouted slogans demanding an end to petroleum levy, measures to control inflation and corruption and withdrawal of privileges offered to the elite.

Haripur district reported a partial shutter-down strike against the rising inflation and petroleum levy.

Traders, lawyers, students, civil society members and people from other walks of life participated in the protest. A protest rally was led by JI district emir Tahir Atiq Siddiqui.

Also, a shutter-down strike was observed in Charsadda, Tangi and other parts of the district.

Major markets and commercial centres remained closed as traders supported the call for strike.

JI leaders and traders set up a protest camp, where citizens and people from different walks of life gathered.

Traders in Battagram observed a shutter-down strike against inflation and high oil prices.

The Jamaat-i-Islami also held a rally in the main bazaar on the Karakoram Highway, with a large number of party workers, local leadership and notables being in attendance.

The demonstrators shouted slogans against the government and demanded an end to inflation and a reduction in heavy electricity bills and petroleum prices to the relief of the people.

A shutter-down strike was observed in Chitral district, with major and minor commercial centres, bazaars and markets remaining closed.

Shopkeepers and the trading community voluntarily shut their doors in Chitral city, the Lower Chitral towns of Ayun and Drosh, and the Upper Chitral district headquarters of Booni, demonstrating absolute solidarity against the heavy per-liter levy imposed on fuel.

A massive protest rally was staged by the Jamaat-i-Islami across Chitral city.

The rally culminated at the Ataliq Bridge, where it transformed into a large-scale public demonstration.

In the Swabi district, the strike call drew a mixed response, with shops remaining closed in some areas and most business centres functioning as usual.

The Bajaur tribal district, too, reported a mixed response to the strike call, with most major business centres remaining open.

The Khar Bazaar in the district headquarters along with Inayat Kallay Bazaar, Nawagai, Pashat, Raghan, Laghari, Yousafabad, Haji Lawang and Qazafi bazaars were opened.

Similar protests and rallies were also held in other parts of the province.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2026