Elections and accountability should go side by side: Siraj

MANCHESTER: The Jamaat-e- Islami (JI) Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq, who is visiting the UK and Europe on a week-long trip, said elections should be held on time and accountability should also be held side by side.

Addressing a gathering in Oldham on Friday, he said all 436 people named in the Panama Papers should be held accountable. “We all want accountability and it should carry on,” he said. He said the Muttahida Majlis- e-Amal (MMA) has been fully activated and it will combine its efforts to defeat other parties in the next general elections.

He said all the religious parties will discuss further political adjustments in a meeting sometime in February. Commenting on the All Parties Conference and Model Town report, he said it was sad indeed that 14 people were killed and their heirs are still awaiting justice. “We support this cause and whoever is responsible should be punished.

A delegation from the Jamaate- Islami will take part in the APC,” he said. To a question, he said it is very disappointing that an ex- PM has announced a campaign against the judiciary. He said the current system has failed to provide jobs to our youths. “Change will not come overnight, it will come when we will vote for ideology and vision and the Jamaat-e-Islami stands tall among parties to have the best vision and ideology and that is the enforcement of Islamic system in Pakistan,” he said, adding: “We have always supported the right to vote for the overseas Pakistanis as you are the backbone of our economy and I am very pleased to see the interest of the overseas Pakistanis.” Sirajul Haq said there is no room for another NRO as providing safe passage to the criminals and returning them to the corridors of power again would be the worst form of enmity towards the country and the nation. The JI chief said the worst form of dictatorship prevailed in the country under the cover of democracy and the constitution and the law seems to be totally helpless before the ruling elite.

Siraj said dynastic politics has become a norm in the political parties and the political workers are losing interest in politics as the political system has become a toy in the hands of the oppressive feudal lords and capitalists. He regretted that the Election Commission has failed to enforce its code of conduct due to which the corrupt elite managed to reach the assemblies.

The JI chief said the nation would not allow another NRO. He demanded holding all those who benefited from the NRO of Pervez Musharraf, accountable. He further demanded that all those whose names had appeared in PanamaLeaks and those who had plundered public money and stashed it in foreign banks should be debarred from contesting elections till their accounts are audited. Siraj said the JI is fighting against corruption as the problems of the country could not be solved without making the country free of corruption.

He told the Pakistanis living in the European countries that they are the unofficial ambassadors of the country abroad and they should work for the supremacy of Islam and show exemplary behaviour as best Pakistanis. Siraj also charged that the government is the biggest hurdle in the resolution of Kashmir issue.