Those who held long marches against inflation nor justifying it: Siraj

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq has said that those who held long marches against inflation are now trying to justify it.

“People have rejected the justification of the PDM and PPP’s unity government. Provide masses relief or go home,” he said while talking to journalists at Lahore Railway Station on Monday at the start of third phase of the train march.

Led by Sirajul Haq, the JI on Saturday launched three-day march from Rahim Yar Khan in protest against skyrocketing inflation, rampant corruption and interest-based economy. The march concluded in Rawalpindi on Monday night.

The JI chief condemned the State Bank move to challenge the Federal Shariah Court decision against interest-based economy and said the JI would never accept the anti-Constitutional act of the central bank. “The State Bank step is a clear violation of the Constitution of Pakistan. Riba constitutes war against Allah Almighty and Prophet (PBUH),” he said, adding the development could not be achieved if the rulers of a Muslim country would continue war against Allah.

He said the country was full of resources and inflation and other problems were due to bad-governance, corruption and mismanagement. He said the rulers compromised the sovereignty of the country by making full surrender on the conditions of the IMF.

“What could be more mocking than that the country is ours but the decision maker is IMF,” he said.

The government, he said, prepared the budget on the dictation of the IMF, making impossible for a common man to meet both ends. He said at every difficulty the ruling class sought sacrifices from the poor. “How long the masses will keep making sacrifices? Why the ruling elite itself is not ready to sacrifice even its 10 percent wealth for the country?”

He said the JI was holding the march for the rights of the people. He said inflation had turned the life of people miserable. The three parties, he said, were responsible for the plight of people.

He said the budget document was death warrant for the poor people of Pakistan. He said the people were starving and unable to meet both ends due to massive hike in prices of basic commodities including petrol, electricity and diesel rates.

The government, he said, failed to control corruption which plagued the country. He said the PML-N led government had also failed to bring any change after three and half years of destruction under PTI regime. The three parties, he said, were exposed badly and people were fed up from them.

Time had approached the people took stand for their rights, he said, adding the JI would continue struggle to transform Pakistan into welfare Islamic state.