LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has asked all the major political parties and their leaders to support the recommendations proposed by JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2022, in order to make the legislation ‘acceptable’ to countrymen.

He made the demand while addressing a ‘Khatam-i-Nabuwat’ conference held in Upper Dir on Sunday. Over 10,000 people, including JI workers, attended the conference, which was also addressed by former senator Prof Ibrahim, former MNA Sahibzada Tariqullah, MPA Inayatullah and JI district chief Hanifullah.

Mr Haq announced to march on Islamabad along with thousands of party workers if the government failed to consider its senator’s recommendations and accept the Federal Shariat Court’s decision regarding abolishment of the interest-based money transactions.

He said the JI was not opposing the rights of transgender persons, but was against the controversial legislation passed from the parliament in that regard.

Wants federal govt to withdraw petition challenging FSC decision

He said the JI senator had pushed for inclusion of some amendments to the law to make it more acceptable to citizens.

Mr Haq said the ruling parties had challenged the Federal Shariat Court’s verdict in the Supreme Court that showed their secular mindset.

He claimed the Jamaat was fighting against an unjust system in the country, and demanded of the federal government to take back its petition filed in the apex court.

He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief, would play his active role in abolishing all ‘un-Islamic laws’ in the country.

The JI chief said the federal government like the previous PTI government was blindly following the dictation of IMF and World Bank. He said the rulers had pushed the country toward economic destruction.

He lamented that spiraling prices of electricity, oil products and gas had stressed people out.

Mr Haq said PTI had been in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for nine years, but it failed to end corruption and provide justice to people.

The JI chief praised the Dir residents for backing the JI’s struggle for enforcing Sharia in the country.

PML-N LEADER: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s local leader Faizullah Khan on Sunday said his party believed in serving the masses.

He was addressing a function held in connection with installation of a power transformer in Farmanabad area of Chakdara.

Mr Faizullah, who is also a former chief engineer of Pesco, said he would talk to the prime minister’s adviser Ameer Muqam to announce a special package for the flood-hit people of Dir and establish another Nadra office in Adenzai. He said the problems faced by locals regarding electricity would be resolved gradually.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2022