Jamaat-e-Islami Launches Nationwide Sit-ins Over Fuel Prices

The political party Jamaat-e-Islami launched nationwide sit-ins on August 16, 2026, to protest rising fuel prices, inflation, and the petroleum levy. Demonstrations occurred simultaneously in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta, targeting governor houses and the Punjab Chief Minister’s House. The protests had been previously postponed to avoid conflicting with Independence Day celebrations.

In Karachi, protesters encountered road blockades and deployments of police and Rangers. In Lahore, workers staged a sit-in at Faisal Chowk on Mall Road, while protests in Peshawar closed roads between Saddar and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Chowk. Provincial authorities implemented security measures at headquarters to prevent the disruption of key areas.

Party leadership demanded the government reduce petrol prices to Rs225 per litre and end privileges for the ruling elite. Leaders criticized the federal government for shifting tax burdens onto the salaried class while allegedly exempting landlords associated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz from agricultural taxes. The movement follows Ministry of Finance data showing that petroleum levy collections for the 2025-26 fiscal year reached Rs1.567 trillion, exceeding the budgeted target by Rs99 billion. Jamaat-e-Islami warned that the campaign would continue and could evolve into a movement to oust the government if demands are not met.