JI chief fears tragedy if rulers don’t mend their ways

QUETTA: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has said that the current crisis had been created by the rulers, and if they did not correct their direction it could end up into a tragedy.

Speaking as chief guest in the Hal Ahwal programme of the Quetta Press Club on Saturday, he said that the terrorists sitting in the corridors of powers could prove more dangerous for the country than the terrorists hiding in mountains.

Sirajul Haq said that by refusing to appear before the NAB courts Nawaz Sharif had given the message that he did not recognise any courts. He said that NAB had summoned Nawaz Sharif and his two sons but by not complying with the order, the ousted prime minister had adopted the path of lawlessness which was not acceptable.

He said the general public had expected Nawaz Sharif to bow to the court verdict, but the ousted prime minister had started hurling threats at the courts. He said that Nawaz Sharif should have been thankful to the court for sending him home because he could have been sent to jail as well.

Sirajul Haq said that the JI was fighting Balochistan’s case in the people court as also in the echelons of power. He said that despite spending Rs20 billion annually the security situation in the province was not satisfactory.

He said the streets and roads of Quetta gave the look of Mohenjo Daro and shortage of drinking water was a serious problem. He said if the issue was not resolved quickly there could be a great human tragedy.

He said that from the very first day the JI had been demanding accountability of the governments of the PPP, Pervez Musharraf and the Muslim League. He said the country so far had been ruled by the Muslim League, the PPP and the military generals and all of them must be brought to accountability as there was no sacred cow and all were equal before the law.

He said that the people ruling the country had plundered billions and built properties in London, Dubai and other costly world capitals with their unlawful wealth. On the other hand, the common man in the country was deprived of basic facilities of education health and shelter. 

He urged the Supreme Court to devise a mechanism for the accountability of all and for the recovery of their ill-gotten wealth to the country.

The JI chief said it was unfortunate that there was a cry to abolish Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution on the ground that it was difficult to be Sadiq and Ameen. It is a matter of shame that in several non-Muslim countries it was a precondition that the people’s representatives must be men of character. But the rulers in this country were out to drop these articles. It seemed the rulers had not learnt any lesson from the history.—Sabah

Online adds: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq has said his party has challenged Nawaz Sharif’s corruption rather than his mandate. 

The JI has not challenged Nawaz Sharif’s mandate, but we have challenged his corruption. No one is a sacred cow. Hands should be laid on all in Panama case. We don’t want accountability of only the ruling elite, but we want accountability of all. 

He went on to say that overseas Pakistanis remit money to Pakistan from abroad, and, on the other hand, ruling elite siphon off the money to offshore bank accounts. It is a matter of shame.

He held the JIT and the Supreme Court did historical job in Panama case. 

Nawaz Sharif adopted the way of GT Road rather than accepting court’s decision. Nawaz Sharif has started threatening courts. We want accountability of all and not ruling elite’s only. No one is sacred cow.

The Supreme Court should evolve mechanism of accountability and start it from politicians first, he demanded. He underlined Articles 62 and 63 should be applicable not only to politicians, but it should also be applied to all.

Declaring Hizbul Mujahideen as terror outfit by the US is failure of our foreign policy, he added.