LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Sirajul-Haq Saturday urged the government not to create hurdles in the way of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’ (PTI) jalsa scheduled to be held at the Minar-e-Pakistan today.
Despite receiving permission from the district administration to hold a gathering at the ground of the historic monument by the party, several roads leading to the venue have been closed using containers on the streets.
Addressing a press conference in JI’s headquarters in Mansoora, Haq said that caretaker Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi-led Punjab government has become part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — the 13-party ruling alliance.
The JI emir invited PTI Chairman Imran Khan to visit Mansoora, saying that the recent announcements made by the caretaker government suggest that it has a long-term plan.
Stressing the need for dialogue between all political parties in connection with the upcoming elections in the country, Haq advised the incumbent government and the leadership of PTI to act sensibly.
He maintained that both the PDM and PTI were running on the narrative of lies. The JI chief was of the view that elections should be held across the country on the same day.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s verdict on elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he maintained that it would be sedition if the order of the top court is not complied with by the government.
The apex court on March 1, in a 3-2 verdict, had ordered ECP to hold elections in Punjab and KP within 90 days.
He claimed that the electoral watchdog pushed the country into a “constitutional crisis”.
On March 22, the ECP announced the postponement of the upcoming elections in Punjab — initially scheduled to be held on April 30 — citing security reasons as the major cause behind the change of plan.
