Daesh in ruling elite real threat to masses: Siraj

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has said the real threat to the nation is the Daesh that is ruling the country, exploiting the masses and usurping their basic rights.

Rulers are harassing the masses by talking of Daesh threat but are not ready to protect life and property of public although they have long security fleet for themselves, he said, while talking to media on Monday after visiting Township main market and meeting with traders.

Siraj said it was the biggest form of terrorism that medicines were costly while death was so cheap. It was deplorable that rulers were asking schools to arrange security for their students instead of doing it themselves which was their basic duty.He said that governments kept on changing but the fate of the common man remained unchanged. He said masses wanted a Pakistan where every citizen could enjoy basic facilities of health, education and jobs on merit. The country had around eight million jobless youths of which 60 percent were living below poverty line, he said, adding that incompetent relatives of the rulers were holding high official posts whereas highly qualified and talented youths from poor families were constrained to work as vendors.

He said entire government machinery right from the prime minister down to the Patwari promptly implemented the laws relating to their perks and privileges but turned a blind eye to the laws concerning the rights of general public. He said masses wanted a corruption-free and prosperous Pakistan, and added that the JI would begin its campaign against corruption from the Punjab capital. He said the drive against corruption was not aimed at achieving political goal but it was a national drive meant to protect the country. He said if huge amount of plundered wealth lying in the foreign banks was recovered, country would be freed from the clutches of the IMF and the World Bank.

Criticising the prevailing system of accountability, Siraj said accountability should be above board. He said as long as big plunderers were not put behind bars, the menace of corruption could not come to an end.