Siraj asks govt to write off interest on agricultural, industrial loans

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq on Monday asked the government to give a roadmap for interest-free banking and economic system in the country and get a bill passed by the Parliament.

Addressing a seminar on practical measures to do away with the interest-based system in Pakistan, the JI chief said that they did not believe in the government’s assurances till it takes practical measures to implement the Federal Shariat Court’s decision.

He also asked the government to write off interest on all agricultural, industrial and individual loans, saying that it was mandatory on the regime to implement the Federal Shariat Court’s verdict against the interest-based economic system.

Sirajul Haq asked the government to support the bill against interest-based economy and banking system, which was introduced by the JI’s parliamentarian in the National Assembly and get it passed by the House.

Those who attended the seminar included Ameer of Tanzeemul Islami Shujaauddin Shaikh, ex-attorney general Anwar Mansoor Khan, ex-federal secretary Finance Waqar Masood, Naib Ameers of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Professor Muhammad Ibrahim, Dr Farid Ahmad Paracha, Abdul Akbar Chitrali, economic experts Tahir Mansoori and Dr Attiqur Rehman.

The religious leaders, including economic and law experts, demanded the government include religious leaders and scholars having understanding of Islamic banking system in the committee constituted to implement the decision of Federal Shariat Court (FSC) against the interest-based economic and banking system in the country.

The participants adopted a declaration appreciating the government’s decision to withdraw appeals against the FSC’s verdict on the interest-based economy.