Sirajul Haq announces countrywide protest demonstrations on Friday against the desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden

LAHORE, July 04 (SABAH):  Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Sirajul Haq has announced countrywide protest demonstrations on Friday (July 07) against the desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden.

Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah on Tuesday, Sirajul Haq termed the incident a sequence of an organized campaign against Islam in western world which particularly started after 9/11, following the worldwide boost in the demand of Quran.

Clearly, he added, anti-Islam elements, psychological patients and hatemongers could not digest the promotion to the message of peace and equality. But their tactics would never succeed as Almighty Allah has taken responsibility for the protection of Quran which is the final divine message for mankind, said Sirajul Haq. 

Islamophobia became a culture in west and posed a serious threat to world peace, he said, demanding strong reaction from the OIC and rulers of Muslim world against blasphemous acts.

He thanked Pope Francis, Russian president and Canadian prime minister for condemning the Quran burning. The Pope, he said, should also play a practical role to ensure the respect of religions. 

The JI, he said, made contacts with the Islamic movements in Turkey, Malaysia, Morocco, Bangladesh and other countries and it had been agreed that the protest rallies would also be taken out there on Friday to convey a strong message against Islamophobia.

Sirajul Haq said the constitutional tenure of the incumbent government would expire on August 12 and the JI would not accept a single day enhancement to its time. The people, he said, must be provided the opportunity to elect their representative through a free and fair poll without any delay in the national vote. The masses, he said, wanted to see the role of the institutions apolitical. The establishment, the election commission and the judiciary, he said, should obey the constitution and should not make any interference in political affairs. The ECP, he said, should take all the political stakeholders into confidence to devise a mechanism for transparent elections.

The JI chief said the IMF loans would not provide any solution to the economy. The international monetary fund, he added, had signed 23 programs with Pakistan but the nation had witnessed no improvement in the national economy. He said the fair distribution of resources and good governance were the only way forward to put the country on track. The interest-based economy and corruption were the real challenge which the incumbent and past governments failed to tackle with, he added.  The JI, he said, was the only option left with the people to vote for after the failure of the PDM, the PPP and the PTI.

Secretary General Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameerul Azim and JI Information Secretary Qaiser Sharif were also present on the occasion.