No substantive difference between PMLN, PPP, PTI: JI

LAHORE : Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Sirajul Haq Thursday said there was no substantive difference between the PMLN, the PPP and the PTI.

Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah, the JI chief said these parties were essentially two sides of the same coin. He said many so-called leaders who are part of these parties were opportunistic, turn coats and acted as migratory birds that align themselves with whichever party is poised to come into power.

Later, alongside JI Secretary General Ameerul Azeem, the JI also launched the JI election symbol "Scale." Siraj said the political workers have no place in the so-called mainstream parties when it comes to distributing party tickets, as these parties tend to favour their relatives. These parties, he said, function as family clubs, primarily focused on capturing power and securing their interests.

Despite frequently coming to power, he contended that the mainstream parties have consistently failed to address the country's problems. He said a new class of political brahmans are now also emerging on country’s political landscape with the launch of the sons and daughters of the heads of the ruling parties. Haq said the ruling elite amassed wealth for themselves and their families, looting resources, taking loans, and subsequently having those loans waived off. He asserted that 90 percent of foreign loans were utilised for their personal benefits, contributing to the country's massive debt. He said the corrupt ruling elite annually utilises $18 billion of resources for personal gain, rendering the current system incapable of benefiting the common man. He argued that as long as the ruling mafias remain intact, public welfare and the country's prosperity will remain elusive. He attributed the collapsed economy and weakened institutions to the flawed policies of the former governments of dictators and so-called democratic political parties.

The JI leader lamented that the rule of law and the dispensation of justice for the poor seemed like a distant dream in the country. He asserted that no institution was capable of holding the ruling elite accountable, emphasising that it is now the duty of the public to use their vote to hold them accountable on February 8.

The JI chief announced that the JI has fielded 222 candidates for the national assembly and 520 for provincial assembly seats, urging the public to vote for JI candidates to bring about real change. He declared that, if elected, the JI would work towards transforming the country into an Islamic welfare state.