Baloch says JI to issue white paper on govt’s performance

PESHAWAR: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Secretary General Liaqat Baloch on Wednesday said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government proved a total failure in its first 100 days and his party would soon release a white paper about its performance.

He was speaking at a press conference after the central political committee meeting of the party. He was flanked by JI central vice-presidents Farid Ahmad Paracha, Mian Mohammad Aslam, Karachi amir, Hafiz Naeemur Rahman, provincial general secretary Abdul Wasi, JI’s lone Member National Assembly Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali and Sabir Hussain Awan.

Liaqat Baloch said it was the ruling party that had given a 100-day plan for changing the fate of the country. “The government’s performance during its first 100 days showed that neither any planning nor any vision was there for putting the country on the path to prosperity,” he maintained. He said the economic condition of the country had worsened. “The record depreciation of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar has adversely affected business activities and discouraged foreign investment,” the JI leader said. Liaqat Baloch added that the people were losing jobs due to the flawed financial policies of the government.

“The claim of the government to provide 10 million jobs to the youth has proved to be a mere slogan,” he added. He said the prices of daily use items had increased manifold and thousands of people were rendered homeless in the name of anti-encroachment drives.

Liaqat Baloch said the government failed on all fronts. “The prime minister and his cabinet members are embarrassing themselves through their statements,” he continued. About the alleged rigging in the last general election, he said the ruling party introduced the notion of 35 punctures. Liaqat Baloch also spoke about the Kashmir issue and Afghanistan conflict.

He said the government should revisit its Kashmir policy.

“A federal minister should be given the Portfolio of Kashmir affairs, while a broad-based Kashmir committee comprising representatives from all the parties should be formulated,” he stressed.

About Afghanistan, he said, the US has engaged in direct talks with the Taliban. “The US should withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and allow the people of Afghanistan to decide their own future,” he added.