To hell with you and IMF: Pakistan erupts over soaring petrol, grocery prices

Thousands joined Jamaat-e-Islami protests across Pakistan against the petroleum levy and rising prices. This comes as Islamabad seeks to project itself as a peacemaker while contending with growing public anger at home.Supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami party take part in a protest march against the increased petroleum levy, rising fuel prices and inflation in Karachi. (AFP)Pakistan is hoping to turn its role as a mediator in the US-Iran war into a windfall of global goodwill. But at home, it is facing growing public resentment over sky-high petrol and grocery prices.That anger boiled over and spilled onto the streets Friday, as thousands of people joined nationwide protests called by Jamaat-e-Islami, a hardline Islamist party, against a fresh petroleum levy and rising inflation.Demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies disrupted traffic on major highways and roads in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Abbottabad, the Express Tribune reported.Protesters carried placards reading, "Enough is enough", "Roll back the levy, roll out relief" and "We want Rs 225/- without any levy". A WARNING TO GOVERNMENTJamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman condemned the government's tax policies and issued a stern warning to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Cabinet.“This government, and the government before it, and the government before that, are all involved in the same mess. That's why this levy is unacceptable... Shehbaz Sharif and your ministers, listen to me clearly: you must step back. You must abolish this levy tax,” he said. Protesters take to the streets of Karachi (AFP photo) Geo TV reported that Rehman claimed the government had collected 8 trillion Pakistani rupees through the petroleum levy and accused it of trying to conceal its incompetence and corruption. Instead of providing relief to the people, it was benefiting influential groups, he alleged.The Jamaat chief also rejected the government's argument that the International Monetary Fund, which has extended multi-billion-dollar bailouts to Islamabad, would not allow the levy to be reduced."You claim that the IMF won't allow this. So to hell with you and your IMF. Stop oppressing the poor, stop oppressing students. We don't accept this levy," he said.Rehman said Friday's demonstrations were only a "trailer", and that the main phase of the campaign was yet to begin.He called for sit-ins outside the Punjab chief minister's house in Lahore and the governor houses in Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta on Sunday against steep fuel prices, the petroleum levy and high electricity tariffs.Rehman warned that the sit-ins could be prolonged if necessary, saying the party would continue its struggle for the Pakistani people’s rights.PETROLEUM LEVY DEEPENS PAINSince early March, the Shehbaz Sharif government has been revising petrol and diesel prices every week, and enforcing austerity measures amid oil supply disruptions due to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.Petrol prices touched a record high of 459 Pakistani rupees (Rs 157.26) per litre, while diesel reached 520.35 Pakistani rupees per litre in April. Data showed Pakistan's fuel price hikes were the second-highest in the world since the start of the Iran war, surpassed only by Myanmar.Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik later announced a petroleum levy, under which fuel prices would be fixed daily, citing fluctuations in international market prices. The move dealt another blow to households that had already tightened purse strings.Surging fuel prices have had a cascading effect on the cash-strapped nation, driving up transport and consumer goods prices in an economy plagued by structural inflation for years.- EndsPublished By: Devika BhattacharyaPublished On: Aug 8, 2026 12:23 IST