LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Friday said if the parties ruling the centre and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa couldn’t control prices of essential items and joblessness, then they should quit power and hold elections.

“Both Pakistan Democratic Movement and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf are two sides of the same coin. They’re serving their own political ends when the national economy is on the verge of collapse,” Mr Siraj told a rally in the Wari area of Upper Dir district.

The JI chief said the people were badly hit by high rates of inflation, unemployment and corruption.

He said the rulers had ignored the people’s inflation-induced misery and weren’t taking any corrective measures.

“For the first time in our history, people have to queue up for long hours to get a 20kg flour bag. Many senior citizens have lost life in these queues,” he said.

JI chief flays govt over inflation, joblessness

Mr Siraj said federal and provincial governments were equally responsible for the shortage of wheat flour on the market and profiteering by traders.

He claimed that high inflation was driving suicide incidence up in the country.

The JI chief asked the people to support his party for their welfare.

“After coming to power, we will provide the people with easy access to education, healthcare, justice and employment,” he said.

BUDGET-MAKING: Experts in a workshop here on Thursday advocated the people’s participation in the budget-making process through legislation in order to make it people-friendly.

The event was organised in the Timergara area by the Citizens Network for Budget Accountability in collaboration with the Pro-Growth Organisation.

CNBA district coordinator Zubairullah, expert Imranullah and other speakers said the government should release the quarterly, biannual and annual reports of its expenditure online along with audit reports for transparency.

They said the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives had issued its third report regarding budget transparency suggesting an effective role of parliament and active participation of common citizens in the budget-making process.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2023