KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami launched its youth wing at the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam at a ceremony on Sunday.

Celebrating the occasion, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Siraj-ul-Haq cut a cake as the JI youth wing members organised and participated in several youth-related activities held on the occasion, including display of martial arts and sports events.

Addressing the participants in the events, the JI chief said from Karachi to Chitral 65 per cent of the country’s population comprised youth but unfortunately everyone was worried about their future.

He vowed that the JI had worked out a programme to steer the youths out from disillusion and disappointment and bring them to the mainstream of society to help them become useful citizens.

Explaining the necessity to form the party youth wing, the JI chief said the purpose of the youth wing was to provide youngsters across the country with a platform from where they could realise their abilities and efforts to contribute to the progress and development of Pakistan.

He asked them to pledge that they would transform the country into an ideal state which was the dream of the Quaid-i-Azam, Allama Iqbal and other forefathers of the nation.

The JI chief said Pakistan was an ideological state with a philosophy.

He said that the Quaid-i-Azam had mentioned 114 times that he saw Pakistan modelled on the holy state of Madina and that the country would have the same constitution which was presented by the Holy Prophet some 14 centuries ago.

Quoting the Quaid-i-Azam, he said: “Pakistan would become a model state for the entire globe.”

The JI chief was optimistic about youth, saying that they would fulfil the dream of the founder of Pakistan.

On the occasion, a large number of youngsters vowed to launch a joint struggle to transform the current Pakistan into an ideal Islamic welfare state as per aspirations of the nation as well as leaders of the Pakistan movement.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2015