Siraj links economic crisis to political instability

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Siraj-ul-Haq has linked the economic crisis to political instability calling for dialogue to fix the problems.

Presiding over a “national dialogue on economy” here at a hotel on Tuesday, Siraj-ul-Haq expressed concern over the attitude of political leadership particularly of three main parties towards realisation of the issues.

They (PMLN, PPP and PTI) are fighting for each other only to protect self-interest, the JI leader said at the discussion attended by known economic experts and prominent personalities. He said those who involved in tax evasion and corruption were enjoying the kings-like lifestyle and many among them were in power. But on the other side, who were paying taxes were deprived of basic needs of life, he added.

Siraj-ul-Haq said at a time when powerful people were enjoying subsidy on different sectors masses were starving to death. Around 30 million children were out of school due to poverty and the ruling parties were responsible for it, he said. Instead of making tall claims the rulers should narrate their performance, he said. Siraj-ul-Haq said that the government must end VIP culture and non-development expenses. How long the country will keep relying on the IMF loans. He said Pakistan so far received 22 programmes from the global lender but the governments failed to fix the economy.

“I served two times as finance minister of the KP. On the basis of my experience, I want to tell you the economy could be run without interest.” He said the loadshedding crippled routine life and inflation and unemployment were become rampant due to ill-conceived policies of the rulers. He said bad governance and non-seriousness of the so-called democratic parties who ruled Pakistan time and again brought the country to the present level. If dictators destroyed 35 years of the nation, the political parties destroyed the other 35, he added.