RAWALPINDI: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq on Thursday urged the government to implement Islamic version of the death penalty.

“Qisas (retribution) and diyat (blood money) are Islamic laws and should be implemented in Islamic state. The punishment for a crime will bring a positive change in the society,” he stated this while addressing the Rawalpindi District Bar Association at district courts.

He said there was a dire need to give punishment to those who committed heinous crime and created problems for others.

“In Islamic jurisprudence, the victim has the right of retribution and can forgive,” he said.

“The political parties have given a mandate to the government to take action against all those who spread terror in the country especially those who killed innocent children in Peshawar school,” he said.

Appropriate punishment for crime will bring a positive change in the society

Replying to a question by a senior lawyer and local PPP leader Sheikh Rashid Advocate, JI Emir said, “I am not a Mufti, Aalim or judge to declare anyone Kafir (infidel). But one thing is clear that those who killed innocent people and children should be punished.”

He said according to religious scholars, Shariat could not be imposed through gun.

“More than 300 religious scholars gave their verdict against armed struggle to impose Islamic law,” he said.

Replying to another question, he said, “we heard the name of Taliban in 1996 when late Naseerullah Babar used their name.”

Replying to a question he said those who waged war against Russia were freedom fighters.

He said the JI was against the elements who were involved in the bloodshed and terrorism. He said his party believed in rule of law and constitution.

The JI Emir also welcomed Imran Khan’s decision to call off the sit-in outside the Parliament House.

Now the government should start dialogue with Imran.

All political parties demands electoral reforms and formation of judicial commission to investigate rigging in election 2013, he maintained.

JI Amir Sirajul Haq said that JI was against toppling the government through sit-in.

“That is why we asked the PAT, PTI and the government to come to table and end differences through dialogue,” he said.

JI Emir said JI had a team and vision to take the country out of the crisis.

“If voted to power JI will bring land reforms and take all the land from the feudals and give it to the poor,” he said.

“If I become prime minister, I will end corruption and provide people free health services. I will provide subsidized wheat flour, cooking oil, sugar and tea to those who earn less than Rs30,000 per month,” he said.

He said that JI and lawyers fraternity believed in democracy and constitution and both wanted merit in all sectors.

Later, Rawalpindi District Bar Association President Raja Nasir, Secretary General Junaid Akhtar Khokar and other office bearers present bar souvenir to him.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2014