The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) called for a nationwide shutter-down strike on September 3 to protest the petroleum levy and rising inflation, but the response varied significantly across different provinces. Markets and shops partially closed in several areas of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), whereas Punjab and Balochistan mostly remained open.
JI’s strike was aimed at opposing the petroleum levy, increasing fuel prices, and inflation. This action coincided with ongoing sit-ins in provincial capitals that began on August 16, continuing to press the same demands.
In Sindh, several commercial districts in Karachi observed the strike, with JI Karachi chief Munim Zafar stating that over 300 markets, both small and large, were shuttered. Areas such as Federal B Area, Water Pump, Liaquatabad, and Teen Hatti saw significant closures. The Karachi Bar Association supported the strike and planned a peaceful rally from the Sindh High Court to the Karachi Press Club to protest inflation.
Public transport was affected as well; the Orange Line BRT service was suspended from the morning due to the JI sit-in, while the Green Line operated normally. Near Korangi Crossing, unidentified individuals reportedly set fire to a tyre and two motorcycles, blocking the road. Additionally, the Akbar Road motorcycle market remained closed.
In Hyderabad, the strike had a partial impact with key markets such as Chandni Market, Furniture Market, Khokhar Mohalla, and Resham Bazaar closed. Thatta witnessed a full shutter-down strike with commercial centers, hotels, petrol pumps, and shops closed in areas including Makli, Gharo, Dhabeji, Mirpur Sakro, and Garho. Similarly, markets in Badin, Shikarpur, Golarchi, Talhar, Matli, and Tando Bago were closed. In Tando Muhammad Khan, shops that initially opened later closed down.
Larkana observed a complete strike, with all major markets and commercial areas shut. Hala in Matiari also experienced a total shutdown, with business centers closed. In Tharparkar, JI activists held a symbolic protest at Kashmir Chowk, selling petrol to citizens at Rs225 per litre as a statement against rising fuel costs.
In KP, the strike response was mixed. In Peshawar, most shops on Ashraf Road were closed, while businesses on Qissa Khwani, Saddar, University Road, and other markets remained open. Lawyers in Peshawar boycotted court proceedings under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council’s call, showing solidarity with the strike and protesting against rising food and fuel prices.
Lower Dir observed a full strike with commercial centers closed and significant reductions in traffic. Markets in Batkhela, Dargai, Sakakot, and Thana Baizai in Malakand also remained shut. The district bar association there boycotted courts. Charsadda saw partial closures in Tehsil Bazaar with bar association support, while most business centers in Shabqadar were partially closed. In contrast, markets and commercial areas in Dera Ismail Khan stayed open.
Punjab witnessed limited impact from the strike. In Rawalpindi, markets such as Raja Bazaar, Murree Road, Commercial Market, and Tench Bhatta remained open and traffic was normal. In Lahore, tensions escalated when JI workers confronted traders on Mall Road over the strike call, resulting in heated exchanges and a scuffle, which led to a heavy police presence.
In Balochistan, business largely continued despite the strike call. Most shops and commercial centers in Quetta remained open, including those in Liaquat Bazaar, Shahrah-e-Iqbal, Kasi Road, and surrounding areas. However, Khuzdar observed the strike with commercial centers and markets closed. JI established a protest camp at central Azadi Chowk to oppose the petroleum levy and inflation.
In a significant development, JI Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman emphasized the party’s commitment to peaceful political resistance and announced that further steps would be decided following the nationwide strike. Speaking at the Lahore sit-in, he mentioned consultations with opposition parties about a potential long march. He warned that if the government failed to address the issues, the party would initiate a movement to remove the current government.
Hafiz Naeem also revealed that the government had reached out to JI and hoped its representatives would visit the party headquarters in Lahore, Mansoora, for negotiations. He clarified that talks would occur alongside ongoing protests and that sit-ins would continue until their demands were met.
The JI protests reflect widespread public frustration over soaring fuel prices, inflation, and increasing electricity bills. The federal government faces growing pressure due to repeated fuel price hikes and their inflationary effects. This pressure intensified after authorities shifted from reviewing fuel prices every 15 days to a daily mechanism, responding to volatility in global oil prices following renewed conflicts in the Middle East. The fuel price dispute has also triggered protests and demands from transporters and petroleum dealers.
