Peshawar News

Siraj labels premier’s speech as ‘disappointing’ Monday, July 21, 2008 Our correspondent BISHAM: Provincial chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and former senior minister Sirajul Haq Sunday termed the recent speech of the prime minister as ‘disappointing’ and said the government had failed to implement its policies. Addressing to party activists during the two-day ‘Ijtema’ arranged by JI here, Siraj said the incumbent government was pursuing the pro-US policies of President Pervez Musharraf and the military operations in tribal areas were being conducted to please the US. He said the government’s 100-day programme proved to be a failure, as the prices of daily use commodities were surging instead of any relief to the public. No relief in the budget was given to the poor, while 260 people committed suicide because of poverty during the last 100 days, the JI leader maintained. He said the deposed judges were not restored, while the parliament had become a rubber stamp, as all-important decisions were made in Dubai without taking into confidence the coalition partners. He said the unity of all religious parties, including MMA, was very important in the prevailing circumstances, but it was only possible if the JUI kept itself aloof from the incumbent government. He said the problem in Swat and Fata could not be solved through military operations, but through talks. As long as the interference of US continued, there would be instability and lawlessness in the country, he said. He also accused the government of causing crisis of petroleum products, flour and electricity to provide the government ‘cronies’ an opportunity to accumulate money.