Islamabad: Jamaat e Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has warned the government that the party's nationwide sit ins could move towards a full strike action and a possible march on Islamabad if the government's petroleum levy was not withdrawn.

In Lahore the JI chief said protests in the provincial capital would continue until the government abolished the petroleum levy. He announced that JI would establish protest camps across the country and call a nationwide strike on soon, followed by a march towards Islamabad if the government failed to respond to its demands.

“The rulers are squeezing the blood out of the people through forced levies and taxes,” he said, adding that the government was protecting the privileges of the ruling elite while shifting the burden of its policies onto ordinary citizens.

Rehman said public pressure had forced the government to reduce the price of diesel by Rs 32 per liter. He said oil mafias had been making excessive profits by charging consumers for imported diesel at rates linked to the cost of locally produced diesel. He said that just like in other cities, the party to stage indefinite protests outside Governor House in Quetta from August 29 as well

The JI chief also said the government and sugar mafia were manipulating the sugar market. He said 765,000 tonnes of sugar had been imported in collusion with vested interests without taxes, yet sugar prices continued to rise.