JI stages sit-in against govt’s failure to arrest rapist

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq and other leadership staged a day-long sit-in outside Punjab Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Thursday and asked the people to hold accountable the ruling PTI and the two main opposition parties which joined hands for FATF legislation to consolidate the country’s slavery to IMF but refused tougher death punishments to rapists to please the western masters.

The JI chief was addressing thousands of charged party workers, including women and children, who were chanting slogans and waving banners and placards

while staging the sit-in to protest the government’s failure to arrest the main culprit of gang-rape on motorway.

Sirajul Haq held that the PML-N and PPP were equally responsible for the passage of humiliating and slavish FATF-dictated laws in National Assembly and the Senate, saying the government and so-called mainstream opposition parties have surrendered the freedom of Pakistani nation before the international powers. He said the entire FATF-related legislation would have dreadful impact on the future of the country. He said when JI proposed amendments to Zainab Alert Bill calling for death sentence to rapists, these big secular parties rejected them unanimously to please their western masters' agenda.

He said the big political parties appeared on the page in admitting defeat before the Indian-backed international lobby which had been blaming Pakistan for sponsoring terror activities in the world. He said nothing was precious for a nation than its self-respect and dignity. But, he lamented, the rulers imposed on the country since its creation had never realised the true objective which was the base of Pakistan’s independence. He said the corrupt and west sponsored elite had been ruling the country for decades.

Declaring the present regime as the most incapable in the history of the country, Senator Siraj said the PTI disappointed the masses and deceived them in a way that was not witnessed earlier although the former rulers were not less responsible for the destruction of the country.

He said the tall claims were made by the prime minister to bring about reforms in every sector but his government had not introduced a single reform in any sector in the past two years.

The biggest province of the country, he said, was presenting a pathetic situation of governance as its every sector was on the verge of collapse due to incapability and incompetence of the team imposed by the prime minister on Punjab.

“We gather here to record our protest against the increasing rate of rape incidents and Punjab government’s complete failure to provide safety to the masses,” he said, adding the PTI government made it impossible for the children and women to go outside of their homes.

A law of jungle was prevailing in the country and the rulers are in deep slumber, he said.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ameerul Azim, Deputy Emir Liaqat Baloch, Jamaiat Ahle Hadith Head Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer and other leaders also spoke on occasion.

Azim said the PTI government made countless blunders after coming in power in every sector from economy to foreign policy.

He said the government failed to introduce reforms in the NAB and launch across the board accountability process.

Baloch said the motorways rape incident was horrific and exposed the government and law enforcement agencies’ inability to provide protection to the masses. He said enforcement of system based on the brilliant principles of Islam was solution to the problems facing the country.

A large number of people, including women and children, holding banner and placards in condemnation of abuse of women and child and other heinous crimes participated in the sit-in.

They chanted slogans against the rulers and demanded severe punishment for the criminals involved in heinous crimes.