LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir, Sirajul Haq has warned that any delay in elections, on any pretext, would be detrimental to democracy and the country.

During a meeting with the JI central leadership at Mansoora on Wednesday, he criticised the ruling parties for their poor performance, stating that they are now resorting to delaying tactics in the electoral process, citing the prime minister’s census proclamation.

The meeting also expressed condemnation for the Bajaur incident and offered Fateha for the deceased while praying for the early recovery of the injured. Mr Haq stressed that the government’s primary responsibility is to protect the people, a duty that he believes the rulers have failed to fulfill. He expressed concern about the resurgence of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, warning that if the government and security agencies do not fulfill their duty, it could spread to other parts of the country.

He called on political parties to come together and develop a consensus on national security measures. The recent wave of terrorism, target killings, and other security threats in the northwest of the country have directly affected millions of people, he added.

Regarding the PDM and the PPP, Mr Haq said that they had conducted long marches against inflation before coming to power in April 2022. However, once in government, they increased the prices of essential food items, electricity, gas, and petroleum products multiple times under the direction of the IMF, severely impacting the masses. He criticised the government for not controlling its own expenses, spending billions on useless foreign visits and protocols.

The JI leader pointed out that rampant corruption, an interest-based economy, and poor governance are the real problems that only honest and dedicated leadership can address to put the country back on track. He urged the masses to vote for the JI if they want real change.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2023