Pakistan, Aug. 18 -- Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) staged sit-ins in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and other major cities on Monday, protesting against high petroleum levies, soaring inflation and excessively bloated bills for a second consecutive day.

The protests formed the next phase of the religio-political party's nationwide campaign after demonstrations were held at hundreds of locations earlier this month.

In the latest review on Thursday, the government increased the levy on diesel by Re1 to Rs77.28 per litre. The authorities, however, kept the levy on petrol and kerosene unchanged at Rs80 and Rs20.36 per litre, respectively. Soaring inflation has pushed even essential items beyond the reach of the poor. Soaring inflation has pushed even ess...