JI urges politicians to show flexibility on talks

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) ameer Sirajul Haq Thursday urged politicians to show flexibility in larger national interests for the success of negotiations on holding elections on a single day across the country.

Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah, the JI chief said the Prime Minister had taken the parliament’s vote of confidence but it would be far better if he had sought direct confidence of the masses through polls

He lamented that the Chief Justice himself put the ball in his court taking suo motu on elections, a move that become controversial from the beginning as it divided the judges and parliament rejected it. If the 90 days constitutional period to hold polls had already expired, he said, asking ‘could it be further delayed for allowing all stakeholders develop consensus on holding it on a single date all over the country.’

He said ultimately the final decision would be from the people of Pakistan, rather than the establishment, judiciary or the political parties. “The legislature and the judiciary are still at odds with each other and all and sundry is giving own interpretation to the constitution while the masses are the ultimate sufferers under crushing inflation, hunger and lawlessness,” he said.

Siraj said the JI is urging for negotiations as a stakeholder and is sincerely trying to bring political parties together on one table in the interest of the people and the country. “We want a transparent decision to be made by the nation. We do not want a rigged election like held in the past.”

The JI, he said, wanted the national institutions should display complete impartiality, allowing the freedom to choose a leadership that can steer the country out of crises. Siraj lamented that the caretaker governments in two provinces, instead of focusing on their constitutional mandate of preparing for election, were making long term decisions.

The parliament, judiciary and other institutions are least bothered about the poor masses being crushed under historic inflation forcing them on starvation, suicides and crimes. The battle between PDM and PTI, he said, has pushed the country into closed alley. He said he made it clear upon the Prime Minister and the PTI chairman during the meetings with them that some other would ultimately take benefit if the politicians failed to develop a consensus.