Pakistan, July 8 -- Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday announced nationwide protests and sit-ins on Friday, July 10, against what he described as the government's "extortionary" petroleum levy.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Rehman said the petroleum levy had become an "unbearable burden" on ordinary Pakistanis, claiming that the government was collecting Rs118 per litre in taxes and levies on petrol.

"Nearly Rs 8.5 trillion has been collected through the levy to meet revenue targets rather than improving petroleum infrastructure," he alleged.

He also criticised the collection of around Rs60 billion under the Climate Support Levy, alleging that the funds were not being spent on environmental pr...