JI suspends train march at 'PM's request'

The JI, which is running a campaign against the petroleum levy and inflation, has decided to suspend its train march toward Islamabad at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The party workers will stay in Multan until a formal interaction between the prime minister and the party leadership and will decide their future course of action based on those talks. JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced this decision in a press conference held in Multan on Tuesday. According to Rehman, the prime minister called him on Monday and requested him to defer the protest movement. "I informed the prime minister that people are suffering [due to economic conditions]. The prime minister assured me that he will hold a meeting with us as soon as he arrives in the country and will announce relief for the people," the JI chief said. Rehman said he told the prime minister that he would inform him about the party's decision after consultation. "During our long consultation, we decided neither to withdraw our demands nor our long march. We will, however, listen to what the prime minister has to say," he added. According to Rehman, the JI workers will stay in the field, but he added that the party's agenda is to ensure relief for the people and not to create chaos and mischief. "We only want to give the prime minister an opportunity to be heard," he said, adding that the party would seek written assurances from the government. "Let the prime minister come so that talks can begin. Until then, our long march will remain camped in Multan," he said, describing the opportunity as the government's "last chance" for negotiations. Rehman said people were suffering from inflation and claimed that the party's shutter-down strike had put pressure on the government. He said JI had presented various proposals for reducing petrol prices, but the government maintained that it could not reduce the levy because Pakistan was implementing the IMF programme. Earlier, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's House said PM Shehbaz Sharif had spoken to Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and asked him to postpone the sit-in in Islamabad. The prime minister said the government was providing relief on petroleum products to economically vulnerable and middle-class segments amid difficult circumstances and would continue to provide as much relief to the public as possible. Rehman welcomed the prime minister's proposal and said JI was considering postponing the sit-in. Both leaders agreed to meet after the prime minister's return and continue consultations on the matter.