Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal says the government and Jamaat-e-Islami will soon finalize a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal contacted Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch on Wednesday on the special instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and conveyed the premier’s message regarding further engagement with the party.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Iqbal said the meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, which had been agreed upon during their earlier telephone conversation, would take place soon by mutual agreement.

Iqbal said the government remained committed to providing relief to the public and that the issue would be discussed further through consultations between the two sides.

“Providing relief to the people is among the government’s priorities. We will sit together and discuss it further,” Iqbal said.

The latest contact follows a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, during which the prime minister had urged the JI leader to withdraw its planned protest.

Following that conversation, the JI chief had agreed to postpone the protest call.

The government’s latest engagement with the JI comes amid ongoing discussions between the two sides over the petroleum levy and other economic concerns raised by the religious-political party. Recent reports said the government and JI committees were expected to coordinate the schedule for a direct meeting between Shehbaz Sharif and Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

The proposed meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss public relief measures and issues linked to the petroleum levy. JI has previously called for the complete abolition of the levy and has also raised concerns about electricity prices and agreements with independent power producers.