Step down until inquiry is over, JI chief tells Nawaz

Claims his party has agenda for a graft-free Pakistan


Our Correspondent April 09, 2016
JI chief Sirajul Haq. PHOTO: INP/FILE

PESHAWAR:


Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Saturday called upon Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down from his post until a judicial commission wrapped up its investigation into the disclosures made through the Panama Papers. He proposed that such a commission be set up under the chief justice of the Supreme Court.


Haq was speaking at a JI-sponsored minority convention, which was held here at the district council hall. Citing National Accountability Bureau statistics, he said the country is losing an estimated Rs12 billion through corruption on a daily basis, resulting in an annual loss of Rs4,382 billion to Pakistan.

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None of the ministers or lawmakers, according to him, is paying taxes and many of them in fact have established offshore companies to evade local taxes.

Stressing the need for treating “this cancerous tumour”, he said that the JI had worked out a viable plan to root out corruption. Without elaborating, he said that his party would treat six fatal diseases, including corruption, if it came to power.

“This cancer (corruption) has spread throughout the body (the country). The Jamaat offers a better cure if it is voted to power,” he said, outlining a clear cut agenda for a “graft-free Pakistan”.

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The agenda also includes dispensation of quick justice, provision of shelter, health and education facilities to the masses. He said that JI never favoured VIP culture and promised to ban it if it was given a chance.

A large number of people belonging to various minority communities from different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the convention.

The hall was decorated with colourful posters inscribed with anti-corruption slogans and messages of inter-faith harmony.

The convention started with verses from Holy Quran followed by verses from Bible, Bhagavad Gita and Granth Sahib. The participants stood at attention when national anthem was sung by children from Saint John’s School Peshawar. Later the children sang national songs which were appreciated by the audience.

The convention was also attended by party’s provincial Ameer Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Local Government Minister Inayatullah Khan, minority wing provincial ameer Parvez Masih and general secretary Javed Gill and Hindu community representative Haroon Sarabdiyal.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10th, 2016.

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