KARACHI: Mian Mohammad Tufail, Amir of the West Pakistan Jamaat-i-Islami, while unfurling the party flag yesterday [Jan 8] expressed determination of the Jamaat to establish Islamic rule in the country. The flag, unfurled at a reception held at the Cosmopolitan Club, had crescent and star and ‘Kalima’ inscribed on it.

He said Islam was a complete code of life and needed no alien “ism” for the guidance and administration of the affairs of the State. He urged the people to zealously guard the tenets of Islam and undo all the mischievous propaganda carried out by the anti-Islamic forces in the country.

He demanded the restoration of 1956 Cons­titution which, according to him, was abrogated illegally, and said that the new constitution could be framed within the time limit of 120 days on the basis of the 1956 Constitution. This would be the quicker solution of the constitutional issues.

On the nationalisation issue, he said Islam allowed private ownership of property and, therefore, the Jamaat-i-Islami did not favour the nationalisation of trade or industry in the country. He termed nationalism as “illegal, immoral and even un-Islamic”.

He, however, observed that certain basic or heavy industries, producing defence and other essential materials, could be nationalised in the larger national interest but the decision had to be taken by the National Assembly.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2020