Rulers failed to help common man: Siraj

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has said the completion of terms by the federal and provincial governments was a good omen for democracy but the elected rulers badly failed to improve the lot of the common man.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner here on Tuesday, he said while the bank balances, mills and factories and properties of the elite had increased several times, the plight of the common man had not improved. He said the masses would hold accountability of the rulers on the basis of their performance. He said the democratic system could be strengthened only through democratic behaviour. He said political harmony was lacking in the country because of the governments of different parties in the provinces.

He said the government had not taken any step towards the welfare state and the problems of people remained unsolved during the last five years. He said although the governments had completed their tenure, they had not fulfilled any of their election promises. Load-shedding was still continuing and the government had secured record amount of loans, thus mortgaging the nation and the country. At present, every citizen was under debt to the tune of Rs 1.30 lakh while the government was still looking for more loans.

He said India had been continuously committing water aggression by building dams and diverting Pakistan’s share of water. He said the flow of water in Ravi and Sutlej had totally stopped and the country was heading for a serious water crisis. He said if new dams and reservoirs were not built and India’s water aggression was not checked, Pakistan would be facing drought within a few years which would not only hit agriculture but also industry.

Siraj said although the PML-N government was completing its term, like the PPP, it too had not made any serious effort for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui.

A large number of traders and businessmen attended the function. JI Deputy Secretary General Azhar Iqbal Hasan, Muhammad Azam Cheema and Malik Shamshad Husain were also present.