PM, Jamaat-e-Islami Agree to Committee on Petrol Relief, Levy Reduction

PM, JI Agree on Petrol Relief Plan and Petroleum Levy Reduction

Joint Committee to Explore Expanded Fuel Subsidies and Phased Levy Cuts

ISLAMABAD, October 27, 2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), led by Ameer Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, have agreed to establish a joint committee to develop recommendations for expanding petroleum relief and gradually reducing the petroleum levy.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday, the agreement was reached during a meeting between the prime minister and the JI delegation, which presented its proposals for abolishing the petroleum levy and providing relief to the public amid rising fuel prices.

The prime minister thanked the delegation for opting for dialogue to address the issue of petroleum prices. He acknowledged the financial burden on citizens caused by rising fuel costs and said the government was making diplomatic efforts to resolve the regional crisis and restore normal conditions.

Shehbaz Sharif said the current increase in petroleum prices was linked to regional and international developments rather than government policies. He added that the government was extending relief to the public within its available financial resources and would continue its efforts in this regard.

During the meeting, the prime minister informed the JI delegation that 12.7 million people had been registered under the government’s petroleum relief scheme targeting low-income groups.

Joint Committee to Recommend Further Relief

Under the agreement, a six-member committee comprising three representatives each from the government and Jamaat-e-Islami will prepare recommendations on two key issues.

The first objective is to expand the existing petroleum relief scheme to ensure that more deserving people benefit from financial assistance. The second is to develop practical proposals for a phased reduction in the petroleum levy through the upcoming budget.

The government has nominated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah to represent it on the committee.

The JI delegation included Liaquat Baloch, Syed Farasat Shah, Nasrullah Randhawa and Inayatullah.

Other senior officials attending the meeting included Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, and Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani.

The proposed committee is expected to formulate recommendations aimed at extending fuel-related assistance to more low-income households and exploring options to reduce the financial burden of petroleum prices on the public.