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November 12, 2026

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Minar-e-Pakistan tower lit green at night in Lahore
Politics

Jamaat-e-Islami Announces Minar-e-Pakistan Rally on 29 November as Petrol Falls to Rs335 — But the Petroleum Levy Stays

Faizan Altaf

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has announced a major public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on 29 November, stepping up its campaign against the petroleum levy even as fuel prices keep falling. Petrol now costs Rs335 a litre, down Rs3, and high-speed diesel costs Rs364, down Rs7, in the latest daily price cut that took effect on Thursday, 12 November.

JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced the rally at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Mansoora, Lahore, on Wednesday. He said the party would hold a public gathering in Quetta on 22 November first, followed by the Lahore rally, with more gatherings planned later in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi.

The message from the party was clear: cheaper fuel at the pump is welcome, but it is not enough. JI is still demanding that the government abolish the petroleum levy completely, and it says it will keep protesting while it keeps talking to the government.

What JI announced

At the Mansoora press conference, Rehman said the party had not withdrawn its demand for the complete abolition of the petroleum levy. Protests and negotiations would continue at the same time, he said, with the 29 November rally in Lahore meant to keep pressure on the government while the talks go on.

The schedule he announced was:

  • 22 November: a major public gathering in Quetta.
  • 29 November: a major rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore.
  • After that: similar gatherings in Peshawar and Karachi.

Rehman also said the party has widened its campaign. What began as a protest against the petroleum levy now also covers rising prices of petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the problems faced by farmers, and delays in holding local government elections.

The choice of Minar-e-Pakistan matters. The monument in Lahore is one of the most famous protest venues in Pakistan. Political parties pick it when they want to show strength and draw a large crowd. By announcing the rally more than two weeks in advance, JI is giving itself time to mobilise supporters from across Punjab and beyond.

Nine rounds of talks — and still no deal

Rehman said about nine rounds of negotiations have taken place between JI and government representatives. A joint technical team, with members from both the government and the party, has prepared a draft agreement. The government is now reviewing that draft before announcing any relief measures for the public.

So why is there still no deal? According to reports of the talks, the government has linked the petroleum levy to its commitments under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. In simple terms, the government has told JI that the levy brings in money the state has promised the IMF it will collect, so removing it entirely is not simple.

JI, for its part, says it has submitted technical proposals showing how the levy can be removed. The party argues that the burden can be shifted instead — for example, by increasing import duties on larger vehicles and putting the levy burden on their owners, rather than on ordinary consumers.

The talks have been going on for weeks, and both sides say they will continue. But the announcement of fresh rallies shows that JI does not want the negotiations to drag on quietly. The street protests are the pressure; the talks are the path to a deal.

What the petroleum levy actually is

For many people filling up their vehicles, the petroleum levy is a confusing line on the price list. Here is what it means in plain terms.

When you buy a litre of petrol, the price you pay is made up of several parts: the cost of the fuel itself, the cost of refining and transporting it, and the taxes and levies the government adds. The petroleum levy is one of those government charges. It is not a sales tax. It is a separate levy the government collects on every litre of petrol and diesel sold.

According to the Petroleum Division’s notification effective 31 October, the overall petroleum levy stands at Rs80 per litre on ordinary petrol and high-speed diesel, alongside a Rs5 climate support levy. Dawn reported that the government levies Rs114 per litre in total taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel.

That is a large share of the price. At Rs335 a litre for petrol, more than a third of what a driver pays goes to the government in taxes and duties. That is why JI calls the levy an extra burden on ordinary people — and why the government, which needs the money, is reluctant to give it up.

The stakes for the national budget are huge. The federal budget for 2026–27 projects petroleum levy receipts of about Rs1.677 trillion, counted as non-tax revenue. Removing the levy would leave a hole of that size in the budget, unless the government finds the money somewhere else.

This is the heart of the disagreement. JI says ordinary people should not carry this burden. The government says it cannot afford to lose the revenue, especially while it is under an IMF programme that requires it to raise money and keep its finances in order.

Fuel prices are falling — so why protest?

It is a fair question. Petrol has fallen for seven days in a row. On 2 November, petrol cost Rs377.91 a litre. By 12 November it had fallen to Rs335 — a drop of Rs42.91 in ten days. Diesel has fallen from Rs402.96 to Rs364 over the same period, a drop of Rs38.96.

The latest cut, announced on Wednesday night by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), took Rs3 off petrol and Rs7 off diesel. The new prices took effect on Thursday, 12 November.

The cuts are happening because of a new system. Since 2 November, OGRA has been revising fuel prices every day, based on a seven-day rolling average of international oil prices and the exchange rate. Before this, prices were revised every two weeks. The daily system means that when world oil prices fall, Pakistani drivers see the benefit within days instead of weeks.

World oil prices have indeed been falling. Reuters reported that Brent crude, the international benchmark, settled at $92.57 a barrel on 9 November, down 5.85 per cent that day.

So why is JI still protesting? The party’s answer is that price cuts and the levy are two different things. A fall in world oil prices lowers the fuel cost, but the levy stays the same. Even when petrol is cheaper, the government still collects Rs80 a litre in petroleum levy plus the climate support levy. JI wants that charge gone, not just smaller because oil is cheaper.

There is also a second point. The daily pricing system means prices can go back up just as quickly. If world oil prices rise, Pakistani drivers will see higher prices the next morning. JI argues that abolishing the levy would give people lasting relief that does not disappear when the oil market turns.

The fuel relief scheme — and who it leaves out

The government has tried to soften the blow with a targeted relief scheme. The Economic Coordination Committee approved the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme on 14 September. Under the scheme, owners of two- and three-wheelers — motorcycles and rickshaws — receive Rs500 per week, described as the equivalent of a Rs100-per-litre concession on five litres of fuel.

The government told JI during the talks that 15 million people are receiving relief under the scheme. But JI says that is not enough. Rehman demanded that the scheme be expanded from cars with engines up to 800cc to vehicles up to 1,300cc, arguing that salaried and middle-class families also use those cars and are feeling the same pressure.

JI also called for relief to be extended to tractors and public transport, so that farmers and daily commuters benefit as well. For farmers, fuel is not just about getting to work — it runs tractors, tube wells and transport for crops. When diesel is expensive, farming costs more, and food prices rise for everyone.

Under an arrangement announced on 2 November, oil refineries are also contributing to the petroleum levy by bearing a cumulative impact of Rs15 billion over 30 days, according to the government. This is meant to ease the burden on consumers without cutting the levy itself.

How the campaign got here

JI’s campaign against the petroleum levy did not start this week. The party intensified its protests in August, organising demonstrations and sit-ins across the country against rising fuel prices, inflation and what it described as an additional tax burden on consumers.

In the months since, the party gave the government 10 days to abolish the levy and provide meaningful relief, warning that it would resume its long march towards Islamabad in mid-November if its demands were not met. The rallies announced on Wednesday — Quetta on 22 November, Lahore on 29 November — are the next step in that campaign, short of a march on the capital.

The timing is also political. With the government under pressure on several fronts — from the economy to security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — a visible street campaign by an organised party with a nationwide network is something it cannot ignore. JI may not be the largest party in parliament, but it has a reputation for disciplined street mobilisation.

For the government, the challenge is to show it is listening without giving up revenue it says it needs. The draft agreement prepared by the joint technical team may offer a middle path — some relief, but not full abolition. Whether JI accepts anything less than abolition is the question the coming weeks will answer.

What the levy row means for ordinary people

For most Pakistanis, this dispute is not about politics. It is about the cost of getting to work, running a business, or moving goods.

Consider a motorcycle rider who uses five litres of petrol a week. At Rs335 a litre, that costs Rs1,675 a week. The petroleum levy alone accounts for Rs400 of that. For a rickshaw driver or a small shopkeeper who depends on transport, the levy is a direct cost on every working day.

For a farmer, the picture is similar. Diesel at Rs364 a litre powers tractors and tube wells. When diesel is expensive, the cost of growing wheat, rice or vegetables goes up — and that cost eventually reaches the market, where every family pays it in food prices.

For a bus or van operator, fuel is the biggest running cost after the vehicle itself. Higher diesel prices mean higher fares or thinner margins. That is why JI’s demand to extend relief to public transport matters to commuters who never own a vehicle at all.

What happens next

Three dates matter now:

  • 22 November: JI’s public gathering in Quetta. This will be the first test of the party’s mobilisation since the announcement.
  • 29 November: the major rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. This is the centrepiece of the campaign, and its size will be read as a measure of public anger over fuel costs.
  • The days in between: the government is reviewing the draft agreement from the joint technical team. Any announcement of relief measures before the Lahore rally would change the mood of the campaign.

The talks will continue alongside the protests. That is the pattern both sides have followed for weeks: negotiate in the meeting room, mobilise on the street. The question is whether the draft agreement can bridge the gap between JI’s demand for full abolition and the government’s need for revenue under its IMF commitments.

For now, drivers can enjoy the seventh straight cut. Petrol at Rs335 and diesel at Rs364 are the cheapest they have been in weeks. But the levy is still there, the rallies are still coming, and the argument over who pays for Pakistan’s fuel is far from over.

Frequently asked questions

What is the petroleum levy?

The petroleum levy is a government charge added to every litre of petrol and diesel sold in Pakistan. It currently stands at Rs80 per litre on petrol and high-speed diesel, plus a Rs5 climate support levy. It is separate from sales tax and other duties, and it is a major source of revenue for the federal government.

How much is petrol in Pakistan now?

Petrol costs Rs335 per litre and high-speed diesel costs Rs364 per litre, effective 12 November 2026. These are the notified ex-depot rates from OGRA. What you pay at the pump can differ slightly from district to district because of freight costs.

Why are fuel prices falling in Pakistan?

Fuel prices are falling because world oil prices have dropped and because OGRA now revises prices every day, under a daily pricing mechanism in effect since 2 November. When international prices fall, the benefit reaches Pakistani drivers within days. Petrol has fallen from Rs377.91 on 2 November to Rs335 on 12 November.

What is Jamaat-e-Islami demanding?

JI is demanding the complete abolition of the petroleum levy. It also wants the government’s fuel relief scheme expanded from vehicles up to 800cc to vehicles up to 1,300cc, and extended to tractors and public transport. The party proposes shifting the levy burden to owners of larger vehicles through higher import duties.

When and where are the JI rallies?

JI will hold a public gathering in Quetta on 22 November and a major rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on 29 November. Further rallies are planned in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi.

How much money does the petroleum levy bring in?

The federal budget for 2026–27 projects petroleum levy receipts of about Rs1.677 trillion. That is why the government says removing the levy entirely would leave a large hole in the budget, and why it has linked the levy to its commitments under the IMF programme.

Conclusion

Jamaat-e-Islami’s announcement of a Minar-e-Pakistan rally on 29 November keeps the petroleum levy at the centre of Pakistan’s political debate, even as petrol falls to Rs335 a litre. The party has shown it can keep both pressure and talks going at once: nine rounds of negotiations, a draft agreement under review, and rallies planned in Quetta, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi.

The government, meanwhile, is caught between two pressures. It needs the levy’s revenue — a projected Rs1.677 trillion this year — and it has told JI the levy is tied to its IMF commitments. But it also knows that fuel prices affect every household, and that a party willing to bring crowds to Minar-e-Pakistan cannot be ignored.

The coming weeks will show whether the draft agreement offers a compromise both sides can accept, or whether the Lahore rally becomes the start of a bigger confrontation. For ordinary Pakistanis, the outcome matters more than the politics: it will decide how much of every litre they buy goes to the government, and how much stays in their own pockets.

Sources

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

Faizan Altaf

Faizan Altaf is the founder and author of findivoza.com, a news blog covering world, Pakistan, business, technology, health and sport in plain English. He writes for general readers who want clear, trustworthy news without jargon. His work focuses on explaining what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next.

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