LAHORE: The Central Working Committee (CWC) of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has empowered its emir Sirajul Haq to take a final decision “whether to support the opposition’s no-trust move against the prime minister or stay neutral on the issue”.

According to insiders, the CWC debated the matter till late on Thursday night, but was unable to reach a consensus decision, and finally it gave powers to the party’s emir to take a final decision on the issue as dictated by circumstances.

Held in the background of Mr Haq’s meeting with Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad and former president Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to the party headquarters to request support in the lower house, the CWC decided to let the party chief take the final decision on the matter.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai also met Mr Haq on Wednesday for the same purpose.

Meanwhile, Mr Haq on Friday made it clear that his party, instead of becoming part of any political circus, would continue its “struggle for the rights of people”.

Speaking at the Friday congregation at Mansoora, he said that leaders of opposition parties and from the government side had approached him for support during the last few days, but they were clueless when he asked them about their future plan to put the country on track.

He said the ruling elite class was united in keeping the country under the US pressure and its interest-based corrupt capitalist system.

“They are loyal to the western system instead of Islam on the basis of which the country got its independence,” the JI leader said.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2022