LAHORE: Opposing the idea of launching a movement against the (PTI led) government, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq said on Saturday that the ruling party was already searching for an escape route “to declare itself innocent in the next elections”.

“I’m not in favour of providing an opportunity to rulers to declare themselves (political) martyrs,” he said in a statement issued from Mansoora on Saturday.

Sirajul Haq said bad governance was visible in every sector under the rule of the PTI, the economy had collapsed and a common man was not provided any relief in past 22 months. The PTI came into power with the fake mandate, therefore, it was incapable and inept even after two years, he said, adding nobody knew how long it will take further to fix the crises facing the country.

Says ruling party already searching for escape route

Mentioning prime minister’s statement that 18th amendment was a hurdle in the performance of the government, he said, it was not the constitutional amendment but the rulers who were incapable to improve the performance of institutions and their own.

Senator Siraj said that the government failed to take even a single step to turn the country into a Medina-like state. The interest-based economy and the debt trap engulfed the country at a level that even the PTI supporters were desperate and felt sorry for choosing the present rulers as their leaders, he said.

Siraj lamented the accountability process became a joke while the government was making full attempts to control the media and judiciary. He criticized the so-called mainstream opposition parties on their silence in highlighting the real public issues, saying they all enjoyed power during their turns in past but did nothing for the welfare of the public. He regretted the government completely ignored the KP as no mega project was announced for it in the federal budget.

Meanwhile, Secretary-General Ameerul Azim has said the prime minister complaints about corruption, troubled economy and empty treasury seem ironic and illogical in a situation when the people who looted the country in the past are sitting in his own cabinet.

Who stopped Mr Khan to take action against those who looted the resources of Pakistan from both hands, asked Azim while inaugurating a Sasta Tandoor shop in Misri Shah on Saturday.

The tandoor established by the JI’s sister charity Al-Khdimat Foundation will provide food to people on affordable rates. Azim said the JI was doing its best to provide relief to the common man in limited resources. If voted to power, he added, the JI will make Pakistan a real Islamic welfare state.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2020