LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq has said the political engineering would not bring any solution, underlining the need for dialogue among the political forces to develop consensus on the national poll.

A government formed on the basis of transparent, free and fair elections could only pull the country out of current economic quagmire, he said while addressing the JI central leadership meeting at Mansoorah on Thursday.

Haq said the JI had initiated the efforts for the dialogue in the past month and it was still trying to bring the parties on table. He said the masses were the ultimate victim of the prevailing crises which was a direct result of the fight among the powerful for the protection of self-interests. He demanded the institutions stay apolitical and follow the duties assigned to them in the constitution.

Haq announced the countrywide protest demonstrations for the release of Dr Afia Siddiqui from the US prison, appealing to the masses to ensure their full participation in the agitation. He directed the JI workers to expedite door to door movement and spread the party message of corruption-free modern Islamic state among the people.

The meeting congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his success in Turkey presidential polls, hoping Pak-Turk relations would further strengthen in future.

The meeting condemned the Zhob suicide attack on the JI emir, demanding fair investigation into the terrorist incident.

The JI chief demanded the government provide relief to the poor in the budget instead of following the IMF directions. He called for restoration of subsidies on electricity and gas and cut in petrol prices.

He said the NAB and the courts had failed to act against the looters and now the people should hold corrupts accountable with the power of vote. The incumbent and former governments were equally responsible for the plight of the masses.

Islamic system was the only solution to the country’s problems. The masses should launch a peaceful democratic movement to get rid of the corrupt system.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023