Senators who passed resolution for delaying polls are enemies of democracy, says JI leader

Hyderabad/Karachi: Calling the recent Senate resolution passed during incomplete quorum that called for delaying the general elections unconstitutional, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Naib Emir Dr Mirajul Huda Siddiqui has said the elections should be held on the given schedule.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the central election office of the party in Latifabad No 9. Dr Siddiqui, who is also the JI’s candidate from NA-219 Hyderabad, said those who had demanded postponement of the elections were the enemies of democracy.

He warned that postponement of the elections would not bode well for the country. While addressing a reception from the Christian community, he said the elections should be held on February 8. He said the senators who passed the resolution for delaying the polls did not have a majority support in the Senate. He said the JI was constantly engaged in the service of the people and stability of democracy.

The JI would make Pakistan a welfare and Islamic state where there would be protection of life, wealth, honour and reputation of all the non-Muslim residents, he maintained.

He said the ruling parties had made Pakistan corrupt. The Pakistan Peoples Party had been ruling Sindh for many years, but it could not bring peace or development to the province, he added.

He also criticised the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), saying that the MQM remained part of every government, but the youth of Hyderabad were forced to go outside the city for education and employment.

There were no opportunities for sports and recreation in Hyderabad, the JI leader lamented and urged the people to vote for the JI’s symbol scale in the general elections.

Meanwhile in Karachi, the city’s JI emir, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman addressed a workers convention in the Baldia Town area on Sunday in connection with the upcoming general elections.

He said Karachi’s lost glory was returning because the JI had been playing a role beyond its mandate for the progress and development of the megalopolis. The JI had restored a large number of parks, laid down foundation stones for medical complexes, restored fleets of abandoned vehicles, and launched flower exhibitions and free-of-charge IT-based skill development courses for the youth, he said.

He said it seemed that Karachi was ruined under a well thought out conspiracy through the culture of torture, extortion, target killing, riots, corruption, and ethnic and sectarian divide.

Rehman said the people of Karachi had already broken the clutches of fear and realised their friends and foes.

He said he had brought a message of hope for the residents of District Keamari. He urged them to get united for their rights and for the sake of the future of their offspring. JI candidate in NA-242 Fazal Ahad also addressed the convention.