JI, government agree basic outline of petroleum levy relief proposal
Liaqat Baloch says the two sides agreed the basic outlines at a tenth round of talks in Islamabad, with JI still holding out the threat of its postponed march.
Jamaat-i-Islami vice emir Liaqat Baloch said on Tuesday that the government and his party had agreed the "basic outlines" of a proposed agreement at a tenth round of negotiations on petroleum levy relief, Dawn reported.
The talks follow a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month at which the two sides agreed to form a bipartisan committee to widen the government's existing fuel relief scheme. The committee was set up in response to JI's demand for the abolition of the petroleum levy.
Dawn reported that JI warned it would resume its postponed march to Islamabad by mid-November if no relief was announced.
On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a follow-up meeting with a JI delegation led by Baloch to continue consultations on petroleum prices and public relief, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported, citing a news release from the deputy prime minister's office.
The release said the two sides held constructive discussions on measures to give relief to consumers, particularly low-income households, and that there was broad agreement on addressing public concerns through continued consultation and cooperation.
Dar welcomed what the release called the positive spirit of the engagement and said the government remained focused on supporting ordinary households amid prevailing economic challenges.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa, the special secretary of the Petroleum Division and the additional secretary of the Finance Division attended the meeting. The JI delegation included Syed Firasat Shah, Nasrullah Randhawa and Inayatullah Khan.
Neither report gave the terms of the proposed agreement, the size of any relief under discussion or a date for an announcement. The petroleum levy is a federal charge collected on petroleum products.
How the reports differ
Dawn reported that the two sides had agreed the "basic outlines" of a proposal at a tenth round of negotiations, and carried JI's warning that its postponed march could resume by mid-November. The Associated Press of Pakistan framed the same day's talks as a follow-up meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, quoted a news release from his office and named the officials and JI members present, but did not report the "basic outlines" agreement or the march warning. Dawn's account named neither Dar nor the attendees.
Government, JI committees meet to finalise petroleum levy draft
Teams led by Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanaullah sit with JI's Nasrullah Randhawa and Syed Farasat Shah to settle a phased withdrawal of the levy.
Petroleum levy yields Rs220 billion in July and August
The government is charging Rs80 per litre on petrol and diesel while talks with Jamaat-e-Islami on relief run against the IMF programme's revenue commitments.
Nawaz asks Shehbaz to pass petrol price cut to consumers
The meeting at Jati Umra lasted about 90 minutes, and the Prime Minister's Office says Khyber Pakhtunkhwa law and order and economic reforms were discussed.
Islamabad books four petrol pumps over tampering devices
Inspectors checked 43 filling stations, sealed 42 altered nozzles at 14 of them and moved to cancel the no-objection certificates of the four booked pumps.
Shehbaz reaches Antalya to press climate finance demand at COP31
The prime minister addresses the leaders' summit on Wednesday and is expected to meet heads of government, with Pakistan asking rich states for predictable, accessible funding.
Government cuts petrol by Rs8, diesel by Rs7 a litre
OGRA's notification fixes petrol at Rs338 and high-speed diesel at Rs371 from November 11, after a Rs6.59 cut the previous week.
NAB issues second summons to Asad Mahmood in Post Office hiring inquiry
He skipped a November 10 appearance and sent a written reply through his lawyer, which the bureau rejected as unsatisfactory.
Remittances hit $3.89bn in October as SBP lifts forecast
Central bank data show a 13.8 per cent rise on October 2025 and $14.8 billion for July to October, with Governor Jameel Ahmed projecting $45 billion this fiscal year.