Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq strongly criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), alleging that leaders such as Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif refrain from speaking against Israel due to concerns that it might impact their future chances of forming a government.
Haq, addressing a political gathering in Dera Gazi Khan, Punjab, questioned why mainstream politicians like Nawaz, Shehbaz, Zardari, and Bilawal remain silent on the issue of Palestine. He claimed that they believe speaking against Israel could hinder their electoral prospects.
Haq also criticized the former rulers of PPP and PML-N, along with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, for their alleged failure to deliver and accused them of embezzling foreign loans and harming the country’s agricultural sector.
These remarks come amid increased political activity in Pakistan as parties gear up for the general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024. The PPP and PML-N, former allies, have engaged in a verbal showdown since the end of their 16-month coalition government in August.
Bilawal Bhutto-led PPP has raised concerns about unequal opportunities for political parties and has called for a level playing field, echoing similar concerns from Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
PML-N Demands Accountability for PTI Government Experiment
In another development, criticizing the prior government led by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for allegedly pushing the country’s economy to the edge of disaster and distorting the moral values of the youth, Khawaja Asif, an outspoken leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), called for accountability for those responsible for the perceived “experiment.”
Speaking at the PML-N’s workers convention in Sialkot, Punjab, Asif, a former defense minister, asserted, “The country faced losses during the four years of PTI’s governance. Those who conducted the PTI experiment should be held answerable.”
Accusing the entire PTI leadership of corruption during their tenure, he expressed shame when recounting Imran Khan’s involvement in the Toshakhana case. This case involved allegations that Khan purchased gifts received by the prime minister at low prices and then sold them for substantial profits in the market.
Asif claimed that the PML-N would restore the country’s economy within two years. He expressed disappointment over the perceived moral damage to the youth during the PTI’s tenure, stating that it would take time to guide the new generation back on the right path.
He questioned how moral values could be rectified, emphasizing that while inflation might end and the economy could recover, addressing moral values was a more complex challenge.
