Country needs free, fair polls: Siraj

LAHORE : Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) ameer Sirajul Haq has said a country would remain poor and gripped by economic crises where rulers and bureaucrats run businesses and political parties function as family clubs. The ruling elite and bureaucrats caused heavy loss to the country in every field by always putting self-interests before the national cause, he said while addressing a meeting of the party office-bearers here on Monday.

“Country urgently needs free and fair elections, rid of the IMF driven interest-based economy and self-interest driven politics”, he said, adding the PTI government damaged the economy and ideology of Pakistan and continued the policies of the past rulers.

The ruling party, he said, claimed to transform Pakistan into a Madinah-like-state but worked to secularise the country and fully protected status quo. He said the youth were the first victim of the PTI economic policies. He said millions of educated young people were without jobs and desperate for their future. He said the PTI promised to give one-curriculum to the nation but failed to do so. He said the people of Pakistan would never accept secularisation of syllabus. Sirajul Haq said the PTI did nothing for Kashmir cause and surrendered the area to New Delhi. He said the country was facing isolation due to weak foreign policy of the government. He said once the Muslim Ummah showed unity among its ranks, no one keep Kashmir and Palestine under its occupation. He said people of Pakistan wanted Islamic system and JI would transform it into a real Islamic welfare state if voted to power.

Baloch, Jawad for foiling plots against country: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) naib ameer Liaqat Baloch and head of Jamia Urwatul Wusqa Allama Syed Jawad Naqvi have warned that certain elements are trying to fan sectarianism and extremism through conspiracies and irresponsible attitude, against the wishes of overwhelming majority of Pakistanis who believe in unity, solidarity and harmony. Baloch who is also Secretary General of Milli Yakjehti Council, a platform of all religious schools of thought, called on Allama Jawad Naqvi to discuss the ways and means to counter the enemy conspiracies aimed at destabilising the country. Baloch said a consultative meeting on the issue of National Unity of the Ummah will be convened on August 1 to draw up a plan of action. The meeting of the Supreme Council of MYC will be held on August 5 hosted by Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslemin (MWM).

Earlier, talking to media, Liaqat Baloch said during his meeting with the participants of Balochistan at the recent JI Central Consultative meeting, the Baloch leaders lamented that the powerful forces of the federation had been bypassing the people and youth of Balochistan in decision making, and depriving them of their rights, education, health facilities and employment by patronising the chiefs, vested interests and the corrupt groups. To address the grievances of angry and troubled people in Balochistan, the issue of missing persons should be resolved, the fruits of CPEC should directly benefit people and a National Jirga should be formed for dialogue.