35 generals, 3 parties maintained status quo: Siraj

JI chief says only people can hold ruling elite accountable

PESHAWAR:

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Sunday maintained that the country had been destroyed by the PML-N, PPP and those claiming to bring about a change – apparently referring to the PTI.

“These parties want personal and family monarchy,” he said while addressing an event in Timergara town of Lower Dir district, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The JI chief added that February 8 – the date scheduled for the next elections – would be the day of mourning for the political bigwigs who wanted dynastic monarchy in the country, independence of Kashmir, and return of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who was incarcerated in a US prison.

“Neither the judiciary, nor NAB [National Accountability Bureau] could hold the ruling elite accountable. Now the people will hold them accountable,” he continued.

Siraj claimed that around Rs13.6 billion were misappropriated in the country every day.

He pointed out that the names of the ruling group were mentioned in the Panama and Pandora papers.

“These are people who loot the Toshakhana [gift repository],” he added, stressing the need for transparent elections to pull the country out of its crises.

Read also: Siraj urges people to drive 'real change' via vote

The JI chief urged the people to make the future of the country secure by ensuring the victory of his party’s candidates on February 8.

He maintained that K-P was in the grip of insecurity but despite that, its people would not accept the postponement of elections in the province.

“Some people want the elections to be postponed fearing their defeat,” he added.

However, Siraj continued, the JI wanted timely elections in the country.

The JI chief said the next elections were extremely important for a bright and prosperous future of Pakistan.

“The nation is receiving an opportunity to maintain the status quo if it wants or to bring about a revolution of a ‘real change’ in Pakistan.”

Read: Siraj vows to bury politics of heredity on Feb 8

He continued that the people had the opportunity to change the destiny of the country with the power of their votes.

The JI chief said 35 generals had ruled the country for 76 years in addition to the PML-N, PPP and PTI.

“All these people maintained the status quo in Pakistan.”

Siraj maintained that these parties had destroyed the economy of the country instead of fixing it.

“By taking more loans, they tied every child of Pakistan to the chains of debt as well as the ropes of the IMF [International Monetary Fund] and World Bank.”

The JI chief claimed that these parties had imposed the “oppressive” interest system in the country.

He added now these people had no performance to show to the nation.