LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Senator Sirajul Haq says the talk of in-house change and/or premature elections are part of democracy.

“If the opposition talks of bringing an in-house change or tries to force the government for early polls, then they are not speaking for some illegal activity or anything against democracy. Both these processes are very much part of democracy the world over,” a press release quoted him as having told the media and party workers on Sunday.

He argued that if the government could not move forward to run the national affairs despite efforts, calls for early polls were the best option and the constitution allowed this measure. He said that when rulers would dig their own graves their governments would not complete their [constitutional] terms.

He cautioned the government that it was failing to deliver and by the time the rulers would realise their blunders the time to take remedial measures would have past.

Mr Haq regretted that those who championed holding a sit-in for 126 days are failing to notice the lockdown in Kashmir entering its 126th day. He said tens of thousands of people would reach Islamabad on Dec 22 to show solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris of the India-held Valley and force the rulers to break their silence on the issue.

The JI emir lamented that the government had become a laughing stock in the court proceedings on the issue of the extension of the army chief but it was not becoming serious enough to resolve the issue even in the proceedings of parliament. He demanded appointment of the new chief election commissioner and other members of the commission with consensus as the office requires that an impartial person is brought forward to hold the post.

He chided the government for failing to check rising prices of daily-use items forcing the people to come out on roads. He lamented that the elements who remained part of Musharraf’s dictatorial regime and other past governments had assembled in the ruling party and these sycophants were failing the country.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2019