Will of the people: ‘Jamaat will resist attempts to subvert democracy’

JI general secy says his party would oppose any unconstitutional development

MULTAN: “Those demanding extension in chief of army staff’s tenure should be tried for treason,” Jamaat-i-Islami general secretary Liaqat Baloch said on Friday.

He was talking to newsmen in Multan.

“Any poster or banner demanding imposition of martial law should be taken seriously. Such demands violate the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said.

“Those calling for a military takeover should identify themselves. It must be ascertained that no intelligence agency is involved in such conspiracies,” he said.

Baloch said it was treasonous to incite people against democracy.

“These messages are against our commitment to strengthen democracy. The people of Pakistan have made many sacrifices to ensure the country is governed democratically. We will not let this effort go to waste,” he said.

Baloch said those who had placed posters calling on COAS Raheel Sharif to stage a coup had violated of Article 6 of the Constitution.

“This should be investigated by the government,” he said.

“The intelligence agencies hunting terrorists should also consider political conspirators as enemies of Pakistan because they want to destabilise our country,” he said. The JI leader said such tactics were offensive to those who had struggled to establish democracy in the country.

He said that Jamaat-i-Islami would oppose any unconstitutional development in the country.

“There will be no back-door change in leadership. A new government can only be formed by will of the people and through constitutional means,” he said.

Commenting on the Panama Papers, he said, “The ball is in the prime minister’s court. If the government continues to delay action in this regard, it will be inviting trouble.”

He said a judicial commission should investigate the allegations against the prime minister and his family. He said the JI would organise a rally in Rawalpindi on July 24 to urge the government to constitute a judicial commission on Panama Leaks at the earliest. “This issue must be resolved through a transparent investigation,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2016.