LOWER DIR/MARDAN: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq has criticised the mainstream political parties for awarding Senate tickets to billionaires instead of their real activists. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had admitted that 16 of his lawmakers had sold votes in the Senate elections, but no action was taken against them.

In Lower Dir, Senator Haq said the prime minister had forgiven his party MNAs involved in what he called the Senate election scam for the sake of getting a vote of confidence.

He said this while addressing a function at Ahyaul Uloom, Balambat, and later talking to mediapersons at Hajiabad here.

The JI chief said that his party would not support anyone in the election for Senate chairman. He said the Senate had become a club of the feudal and capitalists.

Says JI won’t support any candidate in Senate chairman election

He said that blaming the Election Commission of Pakistan for foul play in the Senate elections could not be justified. He said the ruling party had accepted elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, but had been crying over one seat of Islamabad.

He alleged that drug mafia, sugar mafia, flour mafia and petrol mafia had surrounded the prime minister from all sides. JI district chief Izazul Mulk was also present on the occasion.

In Mardan, Sirajul Haq criticised the mainstream political parties for ignoring their real party activists in award of Senate tickets.

He was addressing the seminary students and party workers on the occasion of 55th Khatm-i-Bukhari Sharif in Jamia Islamia Tafheemul Quran on Sunday.

He said that millions of students were getting education in religious seminaries, but unfortunately no government had so far provided any financial support to them.

He lamented that the political parties’ leaders and rulers had funds and money for horse trading, but they had no money for helping religious seminaries.

He alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan had done nothing for the welfare of masses during his 1,000 days in power so far.

Sirajul Haq said his party did not vote to PTI candidates in recent Senate polls because the masses were not satisfied with the policies of its government. He urged the masses to joined hands with JI for bringing Islamic revolution in the country.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2021