JI to stand aloof in case opp brings no-confidence motion against govt

Party could play vital role in number game in case PML-N, PPP go with their announced plan

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has decided to stay aloof from the under-discussion no-confidence motion by the main opposition against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

A JI leader made this revelation to Minute Mirror after the party’s 35-member central working committee held a brainstorming session at its Mansoorah headquarters on Wednesday.

Presided over by JI Ameer Siraj-ul-Haq, the Majlis-e-Aamla (central working committee) meeting continued for hours and it also discussed its 101-sit-ins movement amid the ongoing hype in political temperature.

“We are neither with the opposition nor with the government. We consider them [Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)] sides of the same coin,” the leader privy to the development told Minute Mirror.

Although it has one member each in the National Assembly and Senate, the JI could play an important role in the number game in parliament in case the main opposition parties decided to go ahead with their announced plan.

The JI sided with the PPP in Senate elections for the chairman in March 2021 elections. The PPP rewarded it back in the recent Sindh local government issue by accepting the JI’s demands for the amendment of the act, side-lining the major opposition parties of Sindh.

JI spokesperson Qaisar Sharif said the JI would decide on the motion when the opposition would bring it forward. It was too early to comment on the situation, he said.

Addressing the meeting, Siraj-ul-Haq demanded the government brought down the prices of food items, petrol and medicines by at least 50 percent. He also called for the removal of the State Bank governor, who, he said was working as an agent of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said the government must take measures to eliminate the interest-based economy.

The meeting discussed the preparations for local government and general elections and announced to contest under JI’s own flag and electoral symbol without entering into any alliance.

The meeting also expressed concern over what it called the failure of the government to fight the case of Kashmir. Siraj-ul-Haq said the PTI government made a full surrender on the Kashmir cause and history and Pakistani nation would never forgive him for handing over Kashmir to India.

The group at the meeting demanded the government fulfilled its commitments made with the leaders of the Gwadar movements, saying the rulers must act to end the deprivations of the people of Balochistan.