PoliticsNational

Government holds talks with JI after 19 days of protests

A delegation led by senior government officials, Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanaullah, met Hafiz Naeemur Rehman at the Jamaat e Islami's Mansoora headquarters to address ongoing public grievances over inflation.

Abdul Basit Khan

Editorial Researcher4 September 20262 min read

Government holds talks with JI after 19 days of protestsPhoto: QOM

Lahore: A senior federal government delegation convened a joint meeting with the leadership of the JI at their Mansoora headquarters in Lahore to negotiate terms regarding escalating inflation, petroleum pricing, and electricity tariffs. The government delegation comprising Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, and Punjab Cabinet Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique sought to establish a structured dialogue framework with the opposition party as its nationwide sit-in protests entered their 19th consecutive day.

Following the talks, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman confirmed that the party has established a dedicated negotiation team, headed by Liaqat Baloch, to conduct formal discussions with government financial experts beginning Monday. However, the party chief made it clear that while JI welcomes constructive engagement to secure economic relief for ordinary citizens, its ongoing sit in demonstrations across the country will continue uninterrupted alongside the talks.

Addressing the media, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman emphasised that rising fuel costs directly trigger broader economic inflation, impacting essential food items such as bread. He further criticised capacity payments made to Independent Power Producers (IPPs), describing the underlying power contracts as fundamentally flawed given persistent power generation shortfalls.

Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal commended the JI for maintaining a record of peaceful, democratic protest, affirming that both the government and JI share the common goal of easing the financial burden on the public. Highlighting the external economic pressures facing the country, Ahsan Iqbal noted that military conflict in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have significantly complicated global energy supply lines and domestic petroleum pricing.

Rana Sanaullah expressed optimism that the upcoming two week dialogue process would yield practical solutions, citing previous policy adjustments regarding IPP agreements where government JI discussions contributed to lowering electricity costs. While government officials urged political stability to protect economic recovery and investor confidence under the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, both sides agreed that technical teams will systematically review the petroleum levy and tariff structures over the coming days.