Saudi-Iran confrontation should not deepen: Siraj

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Siraj-ul-Haq on Sunday said Saudi-Iran confrontation should not deepen as millions of the Muslims were killed in the Iran-Iraq war.
Responding to a question at a press conference following a party meeting, Siraj said Muslims had suffered a huge loss as a result of the Iran-Iraq war and the tragedy shouldn’t be repeated. He said the US wanted to make the Gulf region a battleground once again to sell arms.
The JI chief said the US and Israel had always benefited from the wars in the Gulf region, which enabled them to weaken the Muslims and grab their resources. As such, the leaders of the Muslim world should sit together and devise a strategy to foil the enemies’ plans, he said, adding that Turkey and Pakistan should play a mediatory role in the crisis.
Siraj said the JI aimed at garnering public support so as to oust the colonial agents ruling the country for the last 68 years. He said his real target audience were the oppressed sections of the society, adding that the JI would emerge as a strong force in the LB elections and the next general elections.
He said the JI local leaders would contact people in every village and city during a membership drive from April 3 to 15 and share the party’s social, political and economic programme. The minorities - Christians, Hindus and Sikhs - would also be inducted into the JI, he added.
Siraj said change was not possible merely by cursing the oppressors and the corrupt rulers. Unfortunately, the oppressed masses in the country stood divided while the corrupt tyrants always joined hands to protect their interests, he added.