Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday said his party was postponing its long march to Islamabad against the petroleum levy at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif until a meeting was held with the latter.

Rehman, along with other party leaders, announced the decision during a press conference in Multan, where his caravan arrived on Monday night as part of the long march JI had launched the day before.

The decision comes after a phone call between PM Shehbaz and the JI chief, in which the premier urged the latter to “postpone the sit-in”, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Both leaders agreed to meet after PM Shehbaz returned from his official visit to the United States, and to “continue further consultation on this matter”, the statement said.

Addressing media in Multan, Rehman recalled that he received the prime minister’s phone call last night and sought time to consult his party leaders on the request to postpone the march.

Announcing JI’s plan of action after “very lengthy” party consultations, Rehman said: “We will not step back from our protests. We will not step back from our long march either.

“However, we just want to give a chance to the government, as the prime minister has gotten involved for the first time. So, we will meet him, listen to what he has to say and present our arguments. We are a sensible party.”

The JI chief added, “On that day, if he announces that the government is ready to give this relief, then it is fine; otherwise, we have the first week of October, and we will continue our long march with the same force.”

Nonetheless, Rehman declared that party workers will remain on the ground, while protest camps and sit-ins will also continue until the meeting.

He asserted that JI would not step back from the protests due to the “fragile situation” as claimed by the government.

“The government is responsible for this situation,” he said. He reiterated that JI’s agenda was not to spread unrest or violence in Islamabad.

At the outset of his press conference, Rehman reiterated that his party was protesting against exorbitant electricity and fuel prices.

He recalled that his party launched the protest movement against the “unjustified” petroleum levy on August 7, claiming they had held demonstrations at 510 locations and were staging sit-ins at 42 sites across the country.

Commenting on the four rounds of talks held with the government to discuss recommendations to reduce the petroleum levy, the JI chief alleged that the government could not accept its plan as it was “under pressure” from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“We have no political or personal agenda. This is the problem of 250 million people of Pakistan,” the JI emir stated, stressing that the rise in petroleum prices results in inflation and impacts the public.

Rehman again criticised the Prime Minister Fuel Relief Scheme, which took effect from Sept 17 and offers a quota-based subsidy of Rs100 per litre for two- and three-wheeled vehicles.

The JI chief contended that although the government had announced Rs25 billion in relief for a month, it was levying Rs150bn monthly on fuel prices.