Govt apathy towards Leaks probe trigger protests: Siraj

LAHORE

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has said that the indifference of the government towards holding transparent Panama Leaks probe compelled the people to take to the streets.

Addressing different delegations of party leaders at Mansoora on Saturday, he said there were numerous mega scandals of corruption like Panama Leaks but the rulers were not ready for investigation. He said that in the beginning, the prime minister had said he was ready for accountability and delivered three speeches on this issue, but after that he had been insisting that his name was not mentioned in Panama Papers.

Sirajul Haq said a march towards Raiwind was not against the residence of anyone. “The rulers have built bungalows in every city and all were sacred against any public activity, so where should a protest be lodged,” he asked. He said had the government accepted Opposition’s ToRs and shown seriousness in Panama Leaks probe, people would not have any ground for protest.

The JI chief declared that the plunderers of public money deserved no leniency.

He said until and unless the NAB became a totally independent institution, there could be no accountability. He said NAB could become autonomous if the authority to appoint NAB chairman was withdrawn from prime minister and leader of the Opposition, and entrusted to the Supreme Court and the chief justices of all the four high courts.

Sirajul Haq lamented that Kashmir was neither priority of the rulers nor could they be expected to resolve this. He said Pakistan was a strong country of the Muslim world and its rulers should raise a strong voice for the solution to not only the regional issues but also the problems facing Muslim Ummah. He said the Pakistani rulers should have courage to expose the double standards of the UN and the world community.

In this respect, he said that a full-fledged foreign minister should be appointed for the country and separate desks should be set up to highlight the Kashmir issue. He said and a deputy foreign minister should be appointed especially to raise the Kashmir issue at the international forums.  

Sirajul Haq said Pakistan had the best opportunity to make a case against Indian Prime Minister Modi on his admission of his role in separating East Pakistan but the rulers did not have the courage even for that, while other Muslims rulers had been helpless on this score. He said Pakistan at present was facing conspiracies from all sides and the situation had reached the extent that Saudi Arabia had awarded her highest award to Modi. 

He said India had now started radio programs in Balochi language to create anarchy in Balochistan. He said peace in the region would always be threatened by India.