Sirajul Haq hints at the positive development on JI initiative for talks among the political parties to develop consensus on national polls

LAHORE, April 21 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Sirajul Haq has demanded release of the Gwadar movement head Maulana Hidayatur Rahman Baloch, announcing countrywide protest demonstration for the rights of the local residents of the port city and Balochistan.

Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah on Friday along with Deputy Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and former Parliamentary Leader in National Assembly Liaqat Baloch, Secretary General JI Ameerul Azim and JI Information Secretary Qaiser Sharif, Sirajul Haq hinted at the positive development on the JI initiative for talks among the political parties to develop consensus on the national polls. He said it was obvious from the Thursday’s proceeding of the Supreme Court that the Chief Justice was willing to provide opportunity to the political parties to hold talks on the election agenda. He made it clear that the establishment would not make any interference in the political dialogue process, asking the institutions to pay attention on the role defined for them in the constitution. He said the elections and democracy were purely political matters, hence the politicians should sit together to find the solutions to the prevailing crises. He said the political, constitutional and economic crises made the country laughing stock in entire world as people of Pakistan were at the losing end. He said the judiciary should focus on the cases, pending for decades and millions in numbers.

To a question, Sirajul Haq replied that expressing reservations on a political process was the right of Maulana Fazlur Rahmen, hoping the JUI-F head would never want anarchy as the latter had always talked about dialogue among the political forces. He said several political parties formed dialogue committees, adding the process to be expedited after Eid. He said it was prime responsibility of the politicians to provide fair environment to the people to elect their representatives. He said Punjab elections became controversial even before their conduct. He said the elections should be held in a way that nobody could point a finger on the process.

Sirajul Haq said the JI was standing with the people of Gwadar and Balochistan. He said Gwadar movement was not against the CPEC rather it seemed the rulers inclined to destabilize the multibillion project by not fulfilling the demand of the locals which could ultimately create restlessness. He said that 100 days had been passed to Baloch in jail for raising the voice for the rights of the people.