Accountability must not smack of victimisation: Siraj

KARACHI: The accountability campaign being run by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf should not reflect political victimisation of its rivals. The process should be carried out in “broad daylight” instead of behind closed doors.

This was stated by Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Sunday as he addressed a press conference at the local JI headquarters.

Lambasting the PTI for failing to deliver the “change” it promised before the July general elections, Haq said the ruling party leaders and ministers were only speaking the language of the opposition and due to their harsh remarks, tensions among political groups was mounting.

“The government’s narrative until now is the same as of previous years. The people expect a different behaviour from PTI,” he said. “The measures of the National Accountability Bureau and courts must not reflect biasness and vengeance. But the statements of ministers are raising doubts. They should act rather give statements.”

The JI chief said that the federal government’s ministers are claiming that the national wealth has fallen to its lowest point.

According to Haq, the dramatic surge in utility prices among others is wreaking havoc on the public, which is an injustice. “People have become disappointed and everyone is saying that the new government has brought inflation with it,” he said. “The gas prices were raised up to 143 per cent without any reason. They are also talking about increasing petrol and electricity prices. This all seems to be the agenda of the International Monetary Fund, which the government is likely to seek a loan from.”

Commenting on the country’s blasphemy laws, the JI chief said no amendment will be accepted in them. He claimed that a conference has been convened in Geneva where like-minded groups will talk about a introducing a legislation against deriding prophets. He asked the government to launch international campaigning measures so that the blasphemy incidents are stopped.

“Imran Khan had promised a state like [Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s] Madina on which we are happy. But there’s a need to abolish the interest system and put an end to obscenity and drinking culture to create such a state,” he said.

Haq said that the enforced disappearances of political and social activists was also continuing in the so-called New Pakistan against the claims of Imran Khan who had said he would recover missing persons after becoming the prime minister.

Mentioning the alleged arrest of an official of JI’s sister (charity) organisation the Al-Khidmat Foundation, Ijazullah, Haq said that “picking someone up” was a sheer violation of their basic right and all citizens should be treated in accordance with the law.

Talking about Sindh, he said that the province’s institutions were inflicted with the “worst kind of corruption” and a major chunk of the money supposed to be spent on the public was flowing under the table.

He added that in Karachi the law and order, water and power issues had gotten grave but the provincial government did not appear serious in resolving them.

He said that the PTI government had asked for 100 days to bring its “change”, which the JI had accepted but no illegal activity should be done in this time. “We are not in a hurry.

We will wait and we will support the good actions of the government and oppose the wrong ones.”