Country’s stability lies in economic revival: Siraj

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq on Monday said that the country's economic revival plan should be the top priority of political parties in their manifestoes for the next general elections.

The JI top leader was addressing a seminar organized by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) here. The seminar was titled 'Jamaat e Islami's Plans for Economic Revival of Pakistan'.

Sirajul Haq also called for the formation of a national government having representation from all the political parties. He also reiterated his party's demand to hold general elections on proportionate representation.

The JI Ameer said that the government should take the business community and chambers of commerce into confidence while devising economic policies and finalizing budget proposals.

He was of the view that there was a time when the latest weapons and strong military were considered the strength of any country but now it is economic stability which makes a nation strong.

Expressing the hope that the difficult times the country was passing would be over, Siraj stressed that everyone should fulfil the duty of paying taxes. "Our country can only make progress through equal distribution of resources and by alleviating the poverty," he said. The JI leader said Pakistan was rich in mineral resources and blessed with fertile land but unfortunately, it was far behind in both these sectors. "We can increase our exports by increasing the yield of cotton and sugarcane and by exploiting the mineral resources," he said.

While stressing welfare activities, Siraj said that the services of the Al Khidmat Foundation are laudable which which have been recognized by the international community.

Describing Jamaat as the only hope for the people, he said that Jamaat-e-Islami existed in every constituency of the country. The JI leader pointed out that rampant corruption was the root cause of the destruction of PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills.