LAHORE: Declaring a war on the interest-based financial system, Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq has unveiled his ‘people’s agenda’ containing all features of a welfare state.

Presenting himself for accountability as two-time senior minister in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, he has expressed hope that the incumbent and former presidents and prime ministers will follow suit to promote good democratic traditions.

Addressing a large public meeting on the lawns of Minar-i-Pakistan here on Friday, Mr Haq regretted that the present interest-based banking asked the poor to produce guarantors for obtaining loans, but at the same time it allowed the rich to plunder banks.

He asked the federal government to withdraw its appeal in the Supreme Court against the Federal Shariat Court’s decision of declaring interest ‘haram’ (illegitimate). He promised that if voted to power, he would snatch lands given by the British to their cronies and distribute them among the landless, give unemployment allowance to the jobless, provide equal and free education and health facilities to all, subsidised food for those earning less than Rs30,000 per month, old age benefit for senior citizens and to protect the life and property of religious minorities.

The JI agenda also included the Bhutto-era popular slogans of making industrial workers shareholders in companies’ profits as well as to enable peasants to share in the produce of the land they tilled.

Sirajul Haq said Ulema would be considered regular state employees to ameliorate their lot.

Expecting hurdles from what he called political pundits enjoying support of the United States and media, he said he was confident that the war against the corrupt ruling elite could be won through unity among industrial workers and peasants. He cited the examples of China and France in this regard.

The JI emir said he believed that the lack of sincere leadership or inaction by the leadership was a real obstruction in the way of providing rights to the masses. He claimed that only his party was capable of eradicating corruption.

He said the people who had defamed politics through their corrupt practices would be forced out of the political arena if they did not mend their ways. He lamented that people would first vote for corrupt elements and then curse them six months later.

PR SYSTEM: Sirajul Haq said he favoured introduction of proportionate representation system because the present constituency-based system had empowered feudal lords and capitalists to hold political parties and state institutions hostage.

He said the nation had lost confidence in the present election system as it was a “system of selection”, adding that it was essential to restore the sanctity of the ballot box.

The JI emir said his party did not believe in underground activities or use of violence to change the system, stressing that hearts and minds would have to be won for introducing an Islamic system.

He rejected a perception that Pakistan had been created to practise secular ideals. “Had it been so, there would have been no need to carve a new state out India and fight the Hindus.”

Mr Haq condemned the recent killing of a Christian couple in Kot Radha Kishan and said such an incident could not take place under an Islamic government.

The JI, he added, was not inviting people to follow a party or leader. “We are inviting them to the path of Allah and want Allah’s rule.”

He said that those who were against the Islamic system were in fact betraying the constitution.

Published in Dawn, November 22th , 2014