MINGORA: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Saturday demanded the restoration of the original China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project of which Malakand division was part.

He was addressing the Seeratun Nabi Conference organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami at Grassy Ground here.

“It’s a strange and questionable act that the original CPEC route has been changed. Malakand division was the worst affected by earthquake, militancy and floods, so excluding it from the CPEC project is unacceptable. We demanded restoration of the original CPEC route,” he said.

Says things in the country are heading towards implementation of west-sponsored agenda

Mr Siraj said the country, which came into being in the name of Islam, was going astray.

He said things in the country were heading towards the implementation of the west-sponsored agenda for being away from the true Islamic law.

The JI chief said only the enforcement of Islamic laws would help create a true social welfare state, where the people would enjoy facilities equally irrespective of their caste and creed.

“We want a Pakistan, where every citizen has shelter, free medical facilities, and education and where all citizens are treated alike,” he said.

Mr Siraj said new universities and colleges should be set up in Malakand division and that gas should be supplied to Kalam and other hilly areas.

He said his party would continue striving for turning Pakistan into an interest-free country.

“After coming to power, we will introduce the true Islamic banking system in the country through which interest-free loans will be given to the poor people,” he said. The JI chief said the federal government didn’t fulfil its promises and claims and therefore, there was no peace in the country.

He appealed to the people to vote his party to power in the next elections for a better Pakistan.

Noted among other speakers were JI leaders Muzaffar Said advocate, Dr Fazl-i-Subhan, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and Mohammad Amin.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2016