Expose real culprits of divulging secrets: Siraj

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has said the government made Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid scapegoat for a serious issue of feeding a news item concerning national security, adding that the real culprit must be exposed.

This kind of sacrifice would not be acceptable since the prerequisite of sacrifice was that the sacrificial animal should be without any defect, he said while addressing a big rally against corruption that marched on Wahdat Road to Punjab University chowk on Sunday, at the end of the three-day convention of JI Punjab.

“Pervaiz Rashid does not have the courage to feed a news item that drag the army into politics, the real culprits of divulging official secrets must be exposed to unveil those dragging army into politics”, he remarked. Sirajul Haq said the Panama Leaks issue was a tale of corruption and the government had wasted over six months of the nation by making excuses but had neither set up a judicial commission nor initiated any inquiry into Panama Leaks. “I would once again urge the rulers to give up obstinacy and get ready for accountability”, he said.

He said entire nation was under a serious tension by the wrangling going on in the federal capital, and added that the key to resolve the issue was now with the Supreme Court. He urged the Supreme Court not to resort to the doctrine of necessity and take a bold decision as the nation was with the court. He urged the apex court to hear the case from day to day so that all those who had swallowed the hard earned money of the masses could be brought to book. He said that another NRO would not be allowed. 

The JI chief said some elements wanted to drag the armed forces in politics in the present situation to serve their selfish ends but they were not sincere with the country or the armed forces. The armed forces were already preoccupied on the country’s eastern and western borders besides in the war against terrorism. Therefore, the nation would not allow the armed forces to be used for any other objective except defence, he said.

Sirajul Haq said the rulers should not be under the misconception that they would be allowed to digest the public money they had plundered over the years. He said every penny of public money would be accounted for and the plunderers would have to pay for the loot.

He said JI would not allow any new NRO in the country and would also put into jails thousands of corrupt beneficiaries of notorious NRO of General Pervez Musharraf. He said the plunderers would not be allowed to flee the country scot-free. He said professional politicians cheat the poor voters to reach assemblies, and then become tyrants.

He said the coterie of the corrupt had taken all state institutions hostage and added that had the election commission implemented the article 62 and 63 of the Constitution, the owners of off-shore companies and those owning properties in London and Dubai would not have returned to the assemblies. He said if they brought their wealth lying abroad, all the economic problems of the country could be solved. He condemned the terrorist incidents at Quetta, Mardan, Karachi and other places. Addressing the rally, JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch demanded that elimination of corruption should be made a part of the NAP.