LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Saturday said the country needed no enemy in the presence of the Pakistan Democratic Movement and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf as the ruling parties were playing negative politics to harm national interests.

Addressing party workers during a function in Samarbagh area here, Mr Siraj said his party won’t make an electoral alliance and would contest the next general elections with its own symbol and agenda.

He said the troika of PML-N, PPP and PTI had destroyed everything in the country from economy to politics to social norms, so the people no longer trusted them and wanted other political parties to form government.

The JI leader resented high inflation and flour shortages in the country and said it was a pity that long queues of people for wheat flour were everywhere from Karachi to Chitral.

“The international establishment has shortlisted political parties to rule Pakistan, so they play in its hands. Voters now understand this phenomenon and will elect honest, sincere and indigenous politicians,” he said.

About the Geneva ‘aid’ pledges for Pakistan, Mr Siraj said the rulers were delighted after securing loans to manage the state’s affairs though debts for such purposes loans were a shame for the nation.

He said the prime minister should tell people where the Rs70 billion announced for flood victims had been spent.

Meanwhile, the JI chief complained about bad governance and incompetence and corruption of the rulers and declared them the cause of political chaos and constitutional and economic crises in the country.

He told a news conference in Dir Khas area here the other day that hoarders of essential items as well as “mafias” were making billions of rupees.

Mr Siraj said “mafias” were present in three major parties, including PML-N, PPP and PTI, and that they created artificial crises of sugar, medicine and petrol in the past.

He criticised the Sindh government’s decision to postpone local body elections in Karachi and Hyderabad and said the PPP and MQM were afraid of their electoral defeat.

“People of Karachi will never vote for extortionists and will go for the Jamaat-i-Islami in the elections,” he said.

The JI chief said the PPP repeatedly postponed local body elections in the province fearing defeat over bad governance.

He praised the Election Commission of Pakistan over moves to protect the Constitution and democracy and hold elections on Jan 15.

Mr Siraj said Balochistan had vast mineral reserves and a long coastline but the governments didn’t do anything for the development of the residents and even cheated them.

He said the sit-in for the rights of Gwadar had been going on for 65 days but the government, instead of giving dialogue a chance, had subjected peaceful protesters to violence.

JI leader also resents ‘bad governance, corruption’

“We condemn the arrest of and police cases against Gwadar protesters and demand their immediate release,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2023