Fair elections key to stability: Siraj

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami amir Sirajul Haq has linked the stability of the country with transparent and fair elections. He urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the date for the national vote.

During a press conference held at Mansoora on Wednesday, he asserted that the caretaker government lacks authority to make decisions on matters of policy, adding the increases in electricity and gas tariffs were outside their jurisdiction, placing an undue burden on people.

Haq stated that the JI would persist in its protest movement aimed at safeguarding the rights of the people and would stage a sit-in in front of the Governor’s House in Karachi on October 6.

Prior to this, he chaired a meeting of the central leadership, which discussed the JI’s preparations for the upcoming general elections and other challenges confronting the nation.

He informed journalists that the JI had already nominated candidates for 80 percent of the seats in both the national and provincial assemblies.

In response to a query, he argued that those who had repeatedly held power in the country for years had failed to bring about any meaningful change. Instead, he contended that the former rulers bore direct responsibility for the current crises facing the nation.

Responding to another question, he decried the allocation of substantial development funds for specific constituencies as a form of pre-election rigging, vowing to raise the issue with the ECP. He stressed the importance of institutions maintaining their apolitical stance and adhering to the constitution, emphasising that the upcoming election must prioritise transparency over superficial appearances.

Haq called for a forensic audit of Independent Power Producer (IPP) agreements, citing massive payments to private companies in the form of capacity charges. He urged the government to address issues such as line losses, electricity theft, and the practice of the ruling elite enjoying free electricity usage, as well as the imposition of multiple taxes on power bills.

The JI leader pointed out that Pakistan had the highest inflation rates in the region, leading to a decline in the purchasing power of the people. Meeting basic expenses such as school fee for children and medical bills for families had become increasingly difficult for a common man, he said.

Haq maintained that foreign loans were not a viable solution and instead urged the government to tackle corruption, improve governance, and promote equitable resource distribution.

He asserted that the JI was the sole party capable of presenting comprehensive solutions to the nation’s myriad challenges.