LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq has reiterated the call for providing equal opportunities to every political party in the election, stressing that it is the constitutional duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, he stressed the importance of transparent elections, results of which would be acceptable to all and said that the main responsibility in this regard lay on the shoulders of the ECP.

He warned against making them controversial even before the voting begins.

He also announced that the JI youth would initiate a 63-day election campaign from Dec 8 to bring about a real change through votes.

He outlined a plan to establish a basic unit of JI youth, consisting of 10 members at each polling station, with the objective of preventing rigging in the polls.

The campaign, he said, also aimed at significantly increasing the number of voters by connecting at least 10 million more individuals.

He noted that the JI had already distributed 50 per cent of national and provincial assembly tickets to youth.

In response to a question, he dismissed the possibility of entering into electoral alliance with any political party and emphasised that the JI would instead forge an alliance with the people.

Holding the PML-N, the PPP and the PTI equally responsible for the country’s problems, he argued that these parties had ruled for years without bringing about any significant improvement to the public. Instead, he claimed, they maintained the status quo, misappropriated national resources and prioritised personal gains over providing relief to the masses.

He contended that inflation and unemployment were the result of their policies, and the country’s massive debt burden was due to the ‘ill-conceived’ policies of the previous governments led by these parties.

Haq appealed to the masses to vote for JI to break free from the corrupt system and its proponents, stating that the election day represents the final opportunity to change the fortunes of the country.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2023