GUJRAT: Expressing skepticism about the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government’s intentions regarding holding timely elections, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has said his party was against any delay in polls.

He was talking to Dawn here on Sunday at the Islamic Centre, flanked by his party’s Punjab Emir Dr Tariq Saleem and Gujrat head Ansar Dhool.

He said the JI demands timely general elections, but the incumbent rulers are hatching conspiracies to delay the election since they could not face the masses due to their bad performance, inflation and unemployment in the country.

He said his party had always wanted across-the-board accountability and never been in favour of “selective justice”, adding that justice should be seen to have done.

Responding to a question, Mr Haq said the JI had already decided against becoming a part of any electoral alliance at the national level in the upcoming elections, however, the party’s local chapters could make seat adjustment at the constituency level.

He said the establishment’s meddling into political affairs and resorting to political engineering ahead of elections had always damaged the political landscape of the country and never let the political process to take it’s natural course.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2023