Govt isn’t taking a single step towards implementation of FSC’s decision: Sirajul Haq

LAHORE, July 13 (SABAH): Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq has said the

government has not taken a single step towards the implementation of the

Federal Shariat Court’s (FSC) decision during last 15 months despite promises.

The FSC, Sirajul Haq said while addressing a seminar on economy here on

Thursday, had declared the Riba Act of 1839 un-Islamic in its landmark

judgement in April 2022.

Ishaq Dar, he said, had made a pledge during a sitting in Karachi in

presence of the head of the PDM Maulana Fazlur Rahman and other

religious scholars that the government would take steps in line with the

court’s decision but the latter failed to honor his words.

There are clear provisions of the Constitution against interest-based

economy and the Council of Islamic Ideology made recommendations for

introducing Islamic system of economy, he said, adding the rulers of an

Islamic country, however, are unwilling to implement the constitution.

He said the people were expecting from the head of the PDM that being a

leader of a religious party he (Maulana Fazl) would at least raise voice

against the riba but the latter disappointed the public. The PDM head, he

said, expressed concerns on different issues time and again against his

own government and never uttered a single word against riba.

Haq said the loans from the IMF would not provide any solution to the

economy until unless the government introduced good governance, made

check on corruption and non-developmental expenditures. Riba constitutes

war against Allah Almighty and its Prophet (PBUH) and the prosperity

would not be achieved in presence of this evil, he said, adding one of the

worst impacts of the interest-based economy was that it makes the rich

richer and the poor poorer.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief said 70 million people would pay zakat if the government adopted the Islamic system of economy. The poverty, he said, would eliminate even with the collection of ushar. He said the JI had promised to introduce interest-free economy in its election manifesto and it would implement it after coming into power with the votes of the people of