Govt battles to stay in power: Siraj

LAHORE:

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq on Friday expressed his concerns over the ongoing political crisis in Pakistan and the inability of the government to function properly, stating that the only solution to the current problems is to hold elections.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore, he expressed his concerns that the situation could lead to a civil war if not resolved through negotiations among the political parties.

The JI chief emphasised the need for political parties to come together and find a solution to the existing problems. “We are trying to fix an agreed date for the election in Pakistan and will speed up communication with the political parties after Eidul Fitr.”

Siraj said that there was no other solution to the problems faced by the country, adding that the government was not functioning properly. “Even if there is an election in Punjab, people will not accept the result, and it will lead to civil war.”

He also pointed out that a duration of 90 days for the caretaker government is laid out in the Constitution, but the president and the Supreme Court (SC) extended it to 105 days.

He noted that since they extended it once, extending it to 205 days or 305 days would not be a big task for them.

He said, “It is difficult to convince people on a single date.”

The JI chief also demanded the release of Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch, the founder of Haq Do Tehreek and the provincial JI leader.

According to Siraj, Baloch was in custody for 100 days and was being held unjustly.

He also spoke about the situation in Gwadar, where the people were facing numerous issues such as the unavailability of drinking water, a ban on border trade, and a market for bribery and oppression.

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He highlighted the fact that there were more than 900 cases against the people of Gwadar and that the sea was occupied by the trawler mafia, with local fishermen being replaced by foreigners.

While emphasising that the people of Gwadar were not against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he pointed out that the “provincial government is provoking the people of Gwadar”, which could adversely affect the CPEC project.

The JI chief demanded that Maulana Rehman be released, questioning the double standards being employed by the courts in granting bail to some accused individuals while keeping others in custody.

Siraj announced that JI would protest on May 1 to express solidarity with the fishermen of Gwadar and Maulana Rehman, and rallies would be held across the country to demand the release of the detained leader.