National

Sirajul Haq dubs the PTI govt as the mother of crises

LAHORE- Feb 22 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq has dubbed the PTI government as the mother of crises, saying the people have not witnessed the scandals and crises in history of the country like those seen in past three and half years.

He was talking to journalists after addressing the farmers’ sit-in at Thoker Niaz Baig on Tuesday.

The government, he warned, either address the demands of the farmers or get ready to face them in front of Punjab Assembly.

“The farmers will encircle the Punjab Assembly if their fair demands are not met,” he said, condemning the arrest of the protestors and demanding their immediate release.

A large number of farmers under the banner of the JI Kissan staged sit-in at Thoker Niaz Baig. The police baton-charged and arrested over 250 farmers to stop them to hold peaceful agitation in favor of their demands.

Addressing them, the JI chief demanded the government abolish 17 percent sales tax on agriculture inputs and bring down the electricity tariff for agriculture tube-wells at Rs5.35 per unit. He also demanded the decrease in the prices of fertilizers and increase in support prices of wheat and cotton to Rs2,500 and Rs10,000 per 40/kg. He said the government must ensure availability of water to end users at tail.

Talking to journalists, he said the government crossed all limitations of injustice as people from Chitral to Karachi expressed dissatisfaction on the PTI policies. He said the prime minister failed to honor even one of his commitments made with the people. He said the government surrendered the independence of the country to the IMF and the FATF. He said the agriculture sector was on the verge of collapse due to policies of the government.

To a question, he rejected the recently promulgated ordinances of PECA and Election Act. He said the government was using fascist tactics to curb the media freedom and rig the elections. He said the JI was standing with the journalist community struggle to free media from oppression. He said the JI wanted the rule of law and will fight for the rights of the people at every forum.