Rulers are Modi’s friends, says Sirajul Haq

JI chief blames govt for unrest in the country

LAHORE: The Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Sirajul Haq on Sunday blamed the rulers for the unrest in the country as the party held a rally in Lahore despite section 144 being imposed in the city.

The Punjab government had imposed section 144 in the city on Saturday, ahead of the rally, apparently to bar movement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf activists for their November 2 protest.

Addressing the ‘Corruption-free Pakistan’ rally, the JI chief questioned how the premier could absolve himself when he (PM) had admitted that his children have offshore companies.

“Instead of making an independent commission to hold fair inquiry into Panama Leaks, the rulers are using delaying tactics for the past six months,” he said.

He pleaded the Supreme Court to not bow to any pressure and ensure the return of national money from corrupt rulers. “Pakistan stands with the apex court and it should decide the matter purely on merit”. Taking a jibe at the premier he said that the present rulers were friends with Modi and well-wishers of the United States.

Commenting on Pervez Rashid stepping down, Siraj said that fixing responsibility was not enough and the culprit needed to be brought to book for leaking national security information.

“Rashid cannot leak the information without the approval of his masters,” he said, adding that the nation needed to stand up against the rulers like it stood up against India.

The JI chief said that if the money embezzled by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari is brought back, Pakistan’s loans could be paid off.

He said his party favoured real democracy and would not let anyone invite the military to take over the rule. “The military is a respectable institution of the country for its security and no one should even think of involving it in politics,” Siraj maintained, adding the constitution should not be abrogated at any cost.

“JI raised its voice before all other parties against the rulers’ corruption. Corruption has led to unemployment, illiteracy, lack of health facilities, unavailability of clean drinking water,” he said.

JI Punjab Ameer Mian Maqsood, Liaquat Baloch, Farid Paracha and Hafiz Idrees were also among the prominent participants of the rally.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2016.