LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami emir Senator Sirajul Haq has announced launching a “Save the Kissan Campaign” from Sunday (today) at Rahim Yar Khan.

“Farmers constitute a big majority of the country’s population which is being ignored by the rulers,” Sirajul Haq told a press conference here at Mansoora on Saturday.

“The Kissan Raj Tehrik is aimed at ending the elite rule in the country and ensuring the election of small peasants to the assemblies. The JI is the party of the poor and peasants and will stand by them in all circumstances,” he said.

Mr Haq said the JI had decided to give effective representation to the women in the party Shoora. The women members of the Shoora would be elected by the women Arakeen (members) of the party.

He said it was the duty of the government to continue the Karachi operation till its logical end. The accused, however, must be given the right of defense but providing them a chance to flee under any pressure would be tantamount to patronizing the criminals, he added.

He said along with the Rangers, the political parties should step forward to gain nation’s confidence for the restoration of peace in Karachi.

The government, he said, should also take the political parties into confidence in this regard.

He said that MQM chief Altaf Husain’s outburst against the country and its institutions had done a great damage to the country’s image. If the MQM wanted to play a role in national politics it must adopt a positive attitude, he suggested.

Mr Haq warned the government against privatising different institutions saying the workers were united and they would defend their rights.

He appreciated the statements of the prime minister and the army chief on the Kashmir issue and said this had given courage to the nation.

He said the freedom movement in held Kashmir was underway with full force and Pakistan must evolve an effective strategy for liberating Kashmir.

Published in Dawn October 4th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play