Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Siraj-ul-Haq said that he along with other political leaders was making all possible efforts to reduce the prevailing political temperature in the country.
Talking to media person here on Wednesday, Haq said that though his party too had reservations over the existing electoral process, yet he met various political leaders including Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and senior leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to ease the prevailing political tension.
He confirmed that Imran had invited his party to participate in PTI's scheduled long march on the capital, saying that Khan again extended invitation to JI to join PTI in the march during his meeting with him (Imran). He added that the JI had not yet made any decision regarding participation in the long march. He said that the JI had planed a larger programme including showing solidarity with the people of Gaza on August 10 in Islamabad and a 'Million March' in Karachi on August 17.
"We are against the rigging in the May 11, 2013 elections," he said, adding that rigging also took place in Karachi and they too wanted a transparent electoral system. He advised the government to listen to Imran Khan's complaints, saying that it was unfortunate that no action had been taken so far. The JI chief said the Prime Minister should take initiative to amicably resolve the issue, adding that the federal government still had time to resolve the issues.
"We want these issues be resolved peacefully, though some people want confrontation with the government," the JI leader opined. He demanded that those responsible for the rigging should be punished, and there should be an inquiry with regards to their conduct. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with PTI chairman Imran Khan, the JI chief supported PTI's stance on electoral reforms, but avoided to reply whether or not his party would join the PTI in the 'Azadi march.' He said that the JI would take a decision after August 10 in this regard.
"We support Imran Khan's demand for making the electoral process transparent. We also support his demand that complaints of candidates be addressed," he added. "All political leaders with whom we are in contact want to avoid a clash so the issue should be resolved smoothly. But we want to make it clear that the entire responsibility rests on the shoulders of the federal government so it should come forward to ease the tension," the JI chief maintained. Siraj said that his party supported the Special Parliamentary Committee on Election Reforms, adding that the Speaker National Assembly should immediately call the meeting of the committee to resolve the issue with the consensus of all political parties.
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