LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman Friday urged the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of polls rigging and Dubai leaks issue.
Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah, the JI chief underscored the imperative for the apex court to requisition the asset declaration report from the Election Commission of Pakistan and demand explanations from individuals regarding the sources of their wealth stashed abroad. He said it is the responsibility of the ECP to scrutinize asset records and take punitive measures against those implicated in the property scandal and disqualify them from holding public office. He asserted that individuals who fail to disclose their assets to the Election Commission, despite declaring them to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), should be deemed ineligible under Articles 62 and 63.
Emphasizing the need for National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) intervention, he urged them to probe the money laundering, thereby reaffirming their autonomy and commitment as anti-corruption watchdogs.
He highlighted the leaked information implicated politicians, generals, bureaucrats, and business magnates alike, stressing that no individual should be considered immune from accountability.
The public, he emphasised, demands transparency and accountability, seeking clear money trails. He questioned the prevailing system where the elite invest abroad while governing the country, asserting that public dissent cannot be stifled by authorities any longer. The JI chief criticized the Kissan Package recently unveiled by the Punjab government, terming it another ostentatious maneuver with a high likelihood of breeding widespread corruption.
He lamented that at a time when the government should be actively procuring wheat from farmers, it instead shunned its responsibility citing a depleted national exchequer, only to later announce a purported Rs 400 package for farmers. "It's a sham," he asserted, emphasizing that the (JI) would vehemently oppose any such corruption. He disclosed JI's initiative to establish Kissan Committees across Punjab to meticulously document the losses incurred by farmers during the wheat crisis, with the intention of compelling the government to transparently compensate for these losses.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Gaza, the JI chief announced JI's plans to organize a Palestine march in Peshawar on May 19, urging the public to participate actively in this demonstration of support. He called upon the media fraternity to unite in opposition, assuring them of JI's unwavering support and solidarity.