LAHORE: Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani visited Mansoora to offer condolence with the Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Senator Sirajul Haq on the demise of his mother. Prime Minister's aide on religious harmony Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi along with a delegation of religious scholars also met Senator Siraj and offered prayer for his late mother, according to a JI press release.

Later talking to party workers, the JI chief said political parties had to sit together for election reforms as the dream to strengthen democracy in the country could not be achieved without fair and free polls. He said that the ruling and some opposition parties made tall claims to be the champions of democracy but they were not ready to strengthen the Election Commission of Pakistan as powerful and independent body.

In fact, he added, the ruling elite would not agree to empower public and they actually deceived the masses in the name of democracy. The agents of imperialistic forces and feudal lords, he said, plunged the country into deep economic and governance crises. The time had reached, he added, to get rid of the status quo forces and transform Pakistan into welfare Islamic state.

The JI chief regretted that the PTI failed to even recognize corrupt elements in government ranks in half of its tenure and the prime minister had now starting asking from the masses to point out corrupt officials. He asked the prime minister to first inform the masses about his government actions against those who created sugar and flour crises and looted the masses with both hands. He said the JI would continue struggle against the anti-public policies of the PTI.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020