Jamaat-e-Islami announces protest movement to press govt to take back the mini-budget

LAHORE, Jan 18 (SABAH):  Jamaat-e-Islami has announced the protest movement to press the government to take back the mini-budget.

“We will hold 100 sit-ins in all major cities before staging the final sit-in in Islamabad,” announced the JI Emir Sirajul Haq while addressing a press conference at Mansoorah on Tuesday.

The schedule of the movement will be announced in three-days, he said, calling for removal of the governor of the state bank and eliminationof interest-based economy. He demanded the government reducethe basic food prices by 50 percent or get ready to face the people in Islamabad. The JI sit-in in the federal capital, he said, will prove the last nail in PTI’s coffin.

Sirajul Haq held the PML-N and the PPP equally responsible for the destruction of the economy and institutions, saying the powerful established provided backing to three parties to form governments. The PTI, he said, committed blunders in three and half years and proved itself the most incapable government in the history of Pakistan.

He said food prices had gone up by 100pc to 300pc in past three and half year besidesthe rupeedepreciation, massive loans had plagued the economy. He said he was afraid the country’s nuclear program could rollback due to prevailing economic crisis. He said the PTI had virtually handed over the country to the IMF. The JI, he said, could not sit silent in the prevailing situation and would fight for the public cause till they get relief.

The JI chief reiterated the call for amendment in Sindh local government act, asking for the consensus of the stake holders. He said the PPP government must list to the demand of the people sitting in front of the Sindh Assembly for 19 days. He said the JI Karachi will continue its protest against the anti-people act.

Sirajul Haq expressed regret the government failed to honor the agreement it signed with leader of Gwadar Movement Maulana Hidatur Rahamn. Over a month had been passed to the agreement but the rulers failed to meet the demands of the people of Gwadar, he said. The JI Emir appealed the people to make full participation in the sit-ins to get their rights.