Country needs better governance, consistent policies for self-reliance: Siraj

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) ameer Sirajul Haq has said that the economic crisis and debt burden are due to the ill-conceived policies of the present and past governments. On the basis of his experience as former finance minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said he believed the country did not need foreign loans, but what was required was better governance and durable policies based on the principle of self-reliance. Addressing students at a university, he said the PDM government of 14 parties had failed to introduce any reform and public welfare projects during its 15 months in power.

The parties, he added, led long marches against inflation before coming to power in April, and now they even did not utter a single word about the miseries of the people who were burning in the fire of inflation and unemployment. The national exchequer is empty, and the inflation rate touched 48 per cent, he added. The government, he said, is desperately looking towards the IMF and friendly countries to form the budget. He questioned how long the country’s economy would be run on loans? Sirajul Haq said the state must get rid of corruption and an interest-free economy, plus there was a dire need for the fair distribution of resources. Haq said the country’s 70 to 80 per cent of resources were occupied by two per cent elite. He said the interest-free financial system could put the economy on track. He said across the board accountability and the rule of law were the key to progress. He said the governments of the PDM, the PPP and the PTI had failed to perform despite repeated opportunities to run the affairs of the country.