Political turmoil in country could lead to imposition of martial law, says Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami chief

Sirajul Haq condemned government’s attempts to suppress protests, saying peaceful demonstrations are the constitutional right of every political party

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PTI

Islamabad, March 26

Pakistan right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party chief Sirajul Haq has said that the tussle between the ruling coalition and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could result in the imposition of a martial law in the country, according to a media report on Sunday.

The cash-starved country is under constant political turmoil after the ouster of Prime Minister Imran Khan in April last year.

“The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government has become a burden on the nation,” Haq was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune newspaper.

Haq said that the tussle between the ruling coalition and the Pakistan opposition could result in the imposition of a martial law in Pakistan.

Proposing nationwide elections, Haq condemned the government’s attempts to suppress protests, saying peaceful demonstrations are the constitutional right of every political party.

“The government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) are violating the Constitution and the orders of the Supreme Court by running away from elections,” he said while addressing the media on Friday in Lahore.

Haq said that the caretaker Punjab government was a part of the PDM.

“It seems from their (the caretaker government) statements that they will stay for a long time. I want to make it clear that this country has come into existence through a democratic process and can only be sustained through democratic action,” he said, adding that unconstitutional measures should be avoided.

Warning of grave consequences, he announced that he would resist those who “undermine the Constitution”.

Pointing out the duplicity of the ruling alliance, the JI chief said that the same parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had been protesting against inflation before coming to power.

“Free wheat flour lines are selling deaths,” Haq said, adding that five poor people had already been killed in the race to collect the basic necessities.

Haq levelled allegations that these parties, including PPP, PML-N and PTI were not willing to leave their protocols, perks, luxury cars and mansions.

“They were even unwilling to make sacrifices for the people, whose pain these corrupt feudal lords and corrupt capitalists claimed to feel, even though they had billions of dollars in overseas assets,” he added.

He demanded that the political matters be solved in parliament instead of dragging them into courts.

“Had the courts been fulfilling their responsibilities, the situation would not have been like this,” Haq said, blaming the judiciary for the ongoing turmoil.

He condemned the government’s use of force against the rallies by Imran Khan’s party, saying that peaceful processions were the constitutional right of every political party.

He also questioned the feasibility of a bloated 85-member cabinet in a country facing economic crises.