Military establishment fresh pledge to stay away from politics is welcoming: Sirajul Haq

LAHORE, Oct 27 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq has said the military establishment had a history of providing support to political parties, making selection in the name of election.

The institution’s fresh pledge to stay away from politics is welcoming but at the same time it raises question who would be held accountable for the damage done to the country so far, he said in a statement issued from Mansoorah on Thursday.

The nation, he said, lost its faith on democracy due to time and again innervations of the military establishment in the politics. He questioned that what was the institution’s strategy now to restore nation’s trust on it.

“The presser by the DG ISI and DG ISPR is also admission to the fact the ruling parties always rely on the establishment support to come to power.”

The country was on crossroad, he said, making every person worried about the future. He suggested the political parties avoid dragging the establishment into politics now as it was in the best interest of the country and its people. Political forces, he said, should join hand for rule of law and democracy.

The JI Emir said the nation should wait for the findings of judicial commission on the tragic killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya before pointing out fingers at anyone. The inquiry must be held in impartial and transparent way, he said, adding the outcome should become public not within weeks but in days. As the reports of every judicial commission formed in the past had never been made public, the people of Pakistan hoped the latest formed to probe into the death of Sharif would not be met the same fate.

He said the JI was organizing youth to bring peaceful Islamic revolution in the country. Sunday’s youth leadership convention at Minar Pakistan will be historic, setting foundation of real change, he added.