Prolonged lockdown: JI chief concerned at govt’s inability to work out proper strategy

PESHAWAR: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Senator Sirajul Haq on Wednesday expressed concern over the prolonged lockdown due to Covid-19 pandemic and government’s inability to work out a proper strategy to address the problems of the common people and small businessmen who have been badly affected due to the closure of markets.

Talking to party office-bearers at the provincial headquarters of the party here, Sirajul Haq said that markets were being reopened in foreign countries, while here the rulers were planning further strictness in the lockdown.

He said that the government should support the small businessmen and common people affected by the lockdown as millions of people have lost their jobs due to the emergency and were unable to provide bread and butter to their families. He said that the government should thoroughly analyse the situation and take decisions in the right direction. So far, he said, the government had badly failed to deal with the situation in the right manner.

Flanked by provincial general secretary of the party Abdul Wasi, district president Atiqur Rahman and other leaders of the party, Sirajul Haq also expressed serious concern over the treatment meted out with the overseas Pakistanis so far.

“They are sending valuable remittances to the country who provide major support of the national economy,” he said, adding, ”Now when they are passing through testing times, the government has totally ignored them.”

The government should focus attention on their miseries and announce and proper package for overcoming their problems, the JI leader stressed.

He also came down hard on the government for what he termed deceiving the people over the sugar and flour scandal. The people present in the ranks of the current government were parts and parcel of the mega sugar scam, he said, adding, but the government were trying to save their skins by just share partial information with the people and taking no action against those involved in the crisis.

“If the government really believes in transparency and accountability it should award exemplary punishment to those involved in the scam irrespective of their government and party affiliation,” he urged. About coronavirus situation in the country, he said the actual situation could not be known unless the testing facility for the virus is made available everywhere on cheaper prices. Currently the test charges are beyond the capacity of the common people. The government should take steps in this regard, he added.