TAXILA: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq has claimed that free, fair and transparent early elections was the panacea of all problems, especially political and economic, being faced by the country.

He was talking to journalists after addressing a party workers’ convention in Hassanabdal on Sunday.

Mr Haq urged all stakeholders to sit together to devise a strategy for holding general elections to save the country which was descending into “complete chaos”.

He claimed that the country was going towards early general elections.

Responding to a question, he expressed concern over the rising conflict and clash among political forces, adding that such political confrontation ultimately provided an opportunity for the third force to interfere in political matters. “Choice is yours — go for election or martial law,” he said.

He said that the PTI and PML-N leadership should come to the table and develop a consensus on national polls. He was of the view that the PDM and the PTI have locked horns over personal and political interests, not over national interests.

Earlier, addressing a party workers’ convention, Sirajul Haq said that persistent political instability had ruined the economy and caused record inflation.

He said neither the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) nor PTI was sincere in driving Pakistan out of crises. He urged political forces to unite for the general elections instead of trying to pit themselves against each other and levelling accusations against each other.

He said that the time had come for the establishment and judiciary to remain neutral and put a full stop to meddling in politics and civilian affairs.

“Here, faces are changed rather than systems, therefore, the JI has been struggling to change the system. The JI will change the economic system of the country, root out the interest system, end non-development expenditures and protocols” he added.

The JI chief said that the present and past ruling elites are solely responsible for Pakistan’s current political and economic crises. He said the JI would continue its peaceful struggle for democracy and weeding out the menace of corruption, adding that the government had failed to deliver in 11 months and it had gifted people inflation, poverty and unemployment.

He said that the elite class, including serving and retired judges, generals and bureaucrats, were getting hefty perks and privileges, while the poor struggled to arrange a simple meal.

Regarding the Toshakhana scandal, the JI chief said that it was an eye-opener for the entire nation, adding that the ruling elite, including the PTI and PDM have plundered the national exchequer.

He said PDM used to take out rallies against the PTI government regarding inflation, but like PTI, the PDM government had also failed miserably.

He said that both the PTI and the current ruling regime played the role of facilitators for the International Monetary Fund.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2023