New wave of price hike troubles people: Siraj

Says anti-graft institutions disappointed nation; vows to take

JI campaign against corruption to logical end

LAHORE

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has expressed concern over sudden and steep rise in the prices of essential food items in the country like vegetables and fruits, and said it proved total failure of the government.

Addressing a meeting of central leaders of JI at Mansoora on Tuesday, he said the spiral in prices of chicken, vegetables and fruits was nerve-breaking for the general public. He said the pulses' prices were already high. Sirajul Haq said prices of daily-use items were already beyond the reach of the common man but a new sudden price spiral during the last week had added to the miseries of people. He said the traders were fleecing the people but there was no one to check them. He said basic facilities of education and health were already not available to the majority of the population.

The JI chief said corruption had eaten the resources of society and the anti-graft institutions, including NAB, had totally disappointed the masses. He said the corrupt mafia had plundered the national wealth and transferred the same to their bank accounts abroad. On the other hand, every child in the country is under heavy debt because of the record loans secured by the rulers, he added.

He vowed to take the JI campaign against corruption to its logical end. He urged the JI district level leadership to seek the cooperation of honest and effective people in their areas and adopt a proper strategy to induct new blood in the JI.

Meanwhile, addressing a meeting, JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch said the sudden show of confrontation between PML-N and PPP in view of the coming elections was only a staged drama, adding that the masses and media were fully awake to such gimmicks. He said the strategy of the two parties for turn by turn rule and maintain the status quo would not work any more. He said the fresh wave of political activity by the PPP in Punjab was a  part of the strategy of mutual facilitation under their Charter of Democracy but old tactics would not succeed. 

JI deputy chief Dr Farid Ahed Piracha demanded Punjab government to immediately check the problems of people due to the drainage of polluted water into the River Ravi. He said several serious diseases were spreading in the adjoining areas due to polluted water as small farmers were forced to irrigate their farms with the sewage water. Even the underground water was not fit for drinking. He said problems could be partly solved if some water of Chenab river was released in Ravi from  Marala head works which could help minimise pollution.