Sirajul Haq announces countrywide protest demonstrations tomorrow against the rigging in the Karachi mayor election

LAHORE, June 15 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Sirajul Haq has termed Thursday black day in Karachi’s history and announced countrywide protest demonstrations tomorrow (Friday) against the rigging in the mayoral election.

Presiding over a meeting of the Majlis-e-Aamla (working council) at Mansoorah, Sirjaul Haq said the JI would approach the courts and adopt all other means allowed in the constitution to protect the mandate of the people of the port city.

Sirajul Haq said the trust of the people in the democracy was shaken badly after the episode of Thursday in which 31 elected representatives completely vanished from the scene, raising questions on the ability of the Election Commission to conduct free and fair elections. He said the capability of the electoral watchdog to hold transparent elections across the country came under question when it badly failed to reflect its neutrality and authority even in the election exercise of a city. He said the PPP and its Sindh government used every unfair method to win the local bodies election in Karachi at each stage. He said the mega city could not be left on the wishes of a prince and mercy of the PPP. The JI, he said, would not hesitate for rendering any sacrifice to protect the rights of the people and uphold the rule of law and justice.

Sirajul Haq held the government responsible for the economic woes, saying the ruling coalition was trying to shift the blame on the IMF feeling the next tranche of the program might not be available to them. He said the JI, from the day one, opposed the IMF program and called for adopting the progressive approach to fix the economy. The rulers were unwilling to make any self-sacrifice, end non-developmental expenses and corruption and eliminate interest-based economy but they wanted sacrifice from the poor.

He said the government could not make any escape from the elections as the free and fair polls were the only solution to the prevailing crises. 

Meanwhile, the JI Markazi Shura (central consultative council) session has been called in Mansoorah tomorrow (Friday). The session would continue for three days under the chair of the JI chief. The meeting would discuss the prevailing political situation and particularly the Karachi mayor election. Sirajul Haq will announce the future strategy after the conclusion of the session.