Siraj asks govt to present interest-free budget

LAHORE:Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Sirajul Haq has demanded the government to present interest-free budget on June 10 by implementing the judgment of Federal Shariat Court (FSC), failing which his party would launch a countrywide protest movement holding a rally in Lahore on June 11.

Allah Almighty has declared interest-based economy an open war against Him and His Messenger (PBUH), which has been continued in the country for over seven decades, and if the riba-based economy continued any further after FSC judgment, JI would wage war against the rulers, he announced at press a conference in Mansoorah on Thursday.

He alleged that incumbent government had not only continued the policies of PTI regime, it further burdened the masses with massive inflation. He demanded that all agreements with IMF should be made public, and reviewed in the light of the constitutional provisions that banned interests by presenting before the parliament. He said a judicial commission should be constituted to monitor the implementation of the FSC judgment.

He said around Rs42 billions per year were spent on protocol and VIPs life-style of the rulers, billions were used on other non-developmental expenses, he said, asking the rulers to take austerity measures, end luxurious lifestyle to prove they were the representatives of the people who were even deprived of the basic facilities. Siraj said people in Cholistan had no access to even drinking water, hours long load shedding continued throughout the country and amid the situation the government increased the petrol prices by Rs30 per liter and cooking oil rate by Rs250 per kg.