Sirajul Haq calls upon ECP to promptly announce the date for the national elections

ISLAMABAD, Sep 25 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Sirajul Haq has called upon the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to promptly announce the date for the national elections.

Addressing a press conference along with JI Secretary General Ameerul Azim at the residence of Naib Emir JI and former MNA Mian Muhammad Aslam on Monday, Sirajul Haq said the ECP failed to conduct the polls within the stipulated 90 days following the dissolution of the assemblies, hence, it also fell short in meeting the constitutional requirements. Despite of that, he said, the JI believed at least now the ECP should remove ambiguity and announce the precise date for the general election. He urged all institutions, particularly the judiciary, the military establishment, and the ECP itself, to maintain an apolitical stance, refrain from interfering in political matters, and allow the people of Pakistan to exercise their right to elect their representatives in a free and fair manner. The transparent conduct of the elections would serve as a genuine test of the ECP’s credibility, he argued.

Furthermore, Sirajul Haq called upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa to take action against the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) agreements, which he identified as the root cause of exorbitant electricity tariffs. He asserted that those responsible for these costly agreements should be held accountable. He pointed out that both the PPP and PML-N governments had entered into expensive agreements with private companies, placing a heavy burden on the public. The PTI’s former government, he said, had continued these agreements, sharing responsibility with the previous ruling parties.

Sirajul Haq advocated for a reduction in electricity tariffs, emphasizing that caretaker governments were not authorized to raise tariffs; rather, their responsibility was to ensure a peaceful environment for free and fair elections. He said the JI concluded the sit-in in front of the Quetta Governor House on Sunday, reaffirming the party’s commitment to continue its struggle until the rights of the people were duly addressed. The protests were part of the JI’s ongoing campaign against inflation, which had previously included protest rallies in various cities of southern Punjab, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and three-day sit-ins in front of the Governor Houses in Peshawar and Lahore, he said, adding the JI intended to stage a sit-in in front of the Karachi Governor House and, if the people’s demands were not met, would march on Islamabad. He reiterated the JI’s commitment to peaceful protests against inflation until their desired outcomes were achieved.

Sirajul Haq criticized the past five years, which he said had witnessed widespread destruction in every sector. He asserted that the 16-month tenure of the PDM and PPP government had been a continuation of PTI rule. He said those who had initially led rallies against price hikes ultimately exacerbating inflation upon assuming power. He called on the caretaker government to shift its focus from sending high bills to consumers towards addressing the billions lost due to line losses and power theft. He pointed out that the ruling elite benefitted from free electricity, resulting in substantial losses to the national treasury, while the burden was unfairly borne by impoverished citizens.