QUETTA: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Senator Sirajul Haq has opposed the reversal of 18th Amendment, saying such a move will not be in the interest of federation because the federating units have achieved their rights and powers after a long struggle.

The JI would oppose such a move at all levels because it believed in the protection of constitutional rights of the provinces, Senator Haq said at a press conference on Monday. He was flanked by JI deputy secretary general Azhar Iqbal Ahsan, provincial chief Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi and general secretary Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman.

The nation had welcomed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), but the federal government made it controversial by hiding details of the mega project, Sirajul Haq said.

He demanded unveiling of details of the project and share of each province in it. He called for removing apprehensions and reservations of the people of Balochistan by revealing its share in the CPEC and the rights of the people.

Local fishermen and population of Gwadar feared expulsion from their homes and businesses following the launch of the CPEC, he said.

In reply to a question, he said the locals had the first right over natural resources of the province, job distribution and relief of sorts, hence the federal government should give priority to them.

The JI chief said Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government had no vision to pull the country out of the present crisis. He added that the government would not be able to hold the realm of the country for long because they assumed the power without doing any homework.

Majority of ministers and members of the PTI were in the government of military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf, he said, adding that the nation would reel under more inflation once the government took loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Senator Haq said that some 35,000 posts were lying vacant in provincial departments, but the youth were not being recruited on these positions. Besides, he added, uncertainty was prevalent everywhere despite the allocation of Rs30 billion for law and order.

He called upon the prime minister to expose corrupt politicians, judges, generals and others involved in the loot and plundering of national wealth and send them to jail.

The JI emir said that there was an impression that NAB had become part of the political system and failed to carry out its responsibilities as presently there were around 150 mega corruption cases, but the bureau was not taking action against those involved in these cases.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2018

Download the new Dawn mobile app here:

Google Play