Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer Siraj-ul-Haq criticized the past 70 years of governance in Pakistan, asserting that those who ruled the nation during this time had broken not only the country but also betrayed the principles of Islam, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Friday.
Addressing the participants on the second day of the party's sit-in protest in front of the Governor House in Lahore, he emphasized the need for transparency and fair elections, expressing concern about the rising costs of essential commodities.
The protest, attended by a large number of Jamaat-e-Islami supporters, was staged in front of the Governor House Lahore against the escalating prices of electricity, petrol, and rising inflation. The participants were holding flags and placards inscribed with their demands, reflecting their frustration with the current economic conditions.
Ameer Siraj-ul-Haq cautioned against the hidden dangers within the political system, comparing them to snakes in the assembly's sleeves that threatened the very essence of Pakistan. He also decried the influence of external powers, stating that the chains of slavery imposed by the US, IMF, and World Bank had been placed at the feet of those who had governed Pakistan.
Highlighting the economic challenges, he questioned why Pakistan could not access cheaper oil from Iran due to American sanctions while the people were burdened with expensive oil. He called out past leaders, labeling them as political and economic terrorists, from Ayub Khan to Imran Khan, who, he claimed, had roots in the establishment.
Siraj-ul-Haq voiced a call for change in the upcoming elections, asserting that the current courts and institutions seemed helpless in the face of the ongoing crises. He called upon the people to decide their future, questioned the weakening Pakistani currency compared to its neighbors, and urged unity against the forces obstructing progress.
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer also threatened to march to Islamabad if their demands for economic relief were not met.
Prominent leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, including JI Punjab Ameer Mohammad Javed Kasuri, Ziauddin Ansari, and others, joined the rally.