KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Siraj ul Haq on Friday condemned both the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for their respective failures in governance and rampant corruption and demanded that they be quit the federal and provincial governments.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarter Idara Noor-i-Haq, he said that the key parties had ruined the country. He said the PDM was ruling the centre, whereas the PTI and the PPP were enjoying governments in provinces as the country became grimmer with each passing day.

“The ever rising inflation, lawlessness and unrest have pushed 90 million Pakistanis below the line of poverty, whereas the ruling class seems unshaken and steadfast for corruption,” he said, adding: “The country’s economy is on the verge of collapse while the finance minister is misleading the nation. The foreign exchange reserves have dropped significantly, causing serious problems in banking transactions and other affairs.”

He said the federal government was holding provinces responsible for the situation, while the provincial governments were shifting the blame for the financial debacle, whereas the people in the country were paying the price for the incompetency and corruption by the ruling elite.

He also highlighted the sufferings and sense of deprivation, prevailing among smaller provinces. He added that despite all the gloomy situations for the country, the political class in Pakistan has not compromised on its luxuries.

The JI leader also took up the issue of reported corruption and mismanagement during the rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations in the flood-affected areas of Pakistan.

He said that the government will have to answer for the corruption and plundering as the people have the right to know where the donations were spent.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2022