Daily Times

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq has said that handing over country to the corrupt people knowingly is tantamount to committing suicide.

Addressing a gathering at the opening ceremony of the central election office at his hometown in Miskini, Haq said that the country was facing threats from both internal and external enemies. He said corrupt and dishonest people were a great challenge to Pakistan’s solidarity and existence, adding that these people had destroyed the national institutions, the country’s politics and the democratic system on the behest of international forces. He said that in the current situation, unity among the religious parties was the need of the hour.

The JI chief said that KP was the worst-hit province because of lawlessness ad terrorism but the federal government did not provide any relief to the people there.However, he said, the people were now fully aware and they would bring about a change through their vote.

The JI chief said that only an honest and competent leadership can turn Pakistan into a true Islamic welfare state, adding that the MMA’s election manifesto was the best possible agenda for the purpose. He said the solution of the country’s problemslies in the Islamic system, adding that the introduction of Shariah laws would send a wave of satisfaction and happiness all over the country.

He said after coming into power, the MMA would abolish the interest-based system and introduce the system of Zakat and Ushr. The indirect taxes would be abolished and instead a just system of direct taxes would be introduced under which the poor would not be burdened with undue taxes, he added.

Haq said the MMA would ensure equitable distribution of national resources and provision of basic facilities of health and education to the common man at their doorstep.

Meanwhile, Secretary General Liaqat Baloch said that after coming to power, the MMA would raise the living standard of the lower sections of the society, including government servants, industrial workers and farmers.

Addressing corner meetings in his constituency NA-130, he said that the wages of the factory workers would be fixed in the light of the inflation level and the industrial and farm workers would be made shareholders in the production.He said the country’s economy was linked with agriculture but the feudal lords and capitalists had been exploiting the farmers and had made the life of the farm workers and peasants miserable.

Baloch said the MMA would provide subsidy on electricity to the agriculturists and agricultural inputs so that agriculture could be made a profitable sector. He pointed out that the JI and its Kisan Board had always raised voice for the farmers’ rights.

Published in Daily Times, June 26^th 2018.