LAHORE: Acting Jamaat-i-Islami emir Liaqat Baloch demanded on Thursday an intensive study into the stock market by a task force, comprising national and international experts, so as to streamline the whole business on the basis of hard facts and realism.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner by the traders, he said that the small investors had suffered huge losses because of continuous fall in the stock market. He said that the stock market running was fictitious in which the big fish swallowed the small fish.

Mr Baloch said the rise in the stock market was because of the government patronage. The country’s economy was on the decline due to heavy foreign loans, the curse of interest and widespread corruption. Corruption had crept into all private and governments institutions and it could be wiped out through effective accountability as was essential for the revival of the country’s economy. If there was no accountability, the masses would be crushed under poverty, price spiral and lawlessness and unemployment, he warned.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with a JI Youth delegation, Mr Baloch said the youth were the future of the country and the nation. He said the grand victory of the national cricket team had given a hope and confidence to the nation. He said the youth had deep love for Islam and Pakistan and they had to face the challenges in the days ahead.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2017