Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq has called Karachi the backbone of Pakistan’s progress and development, and asked the federal government to provide a special Rs. 500 billion package to the city for the same reason.
Addressing a crowded press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, here Saturday evening, he said Karachi is facing serious issues of water, sewerage, public transport and other civic issues and to resolve them the federal government should give it a generous development package of Rs500 billion so as to ensure a fast-track uplift of the mega city. He said they would not leave the Karachiites alone, in fact, 18 Crore Pakistanis would defend the rights of Karachi. He stressed the need of empowering the youths of Karachi and announced that the headquarters of JI Karachi chapter, at Idara Noor-e-Haq, is being made a youth centre. He said the JI Karachi would carry out its organizational activities somewhere else, why Idara Noor-e-Haq would be made a youth centre, for education, training, recreation and guidance of the jobless youths of Karachi.
He asked the office-bearers of JI Karachi to give special attention on resolving the civic problems of Karachi on grassroots level. He said by developing Karachi whole Pakistan could be developed. He asked the JI leaders and workers to serve Karachi and Karachiites without any discrimination of cast, creed and ethnicity. He said today man is going to Mars and Karachiites do not have water, electricity and public transport. He reminded that Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif had announced a Metro Bus system for Karachi, but no progress is seen on this project after its announcement.
He said now it is proved that in Karachi there was a selection and not election. He demanded to end the fake mandate in Karachi by revisiting the so-called election so that the representation of the city could be given to the real representatives of Karachiites. He said law should be equal for everyone and no one should be treated above the law. He said the problems of Karachi increased due to its fake mandate. He demanded to purge Karachi from illegal weapons. He said the cosmetic steps would not solve the problems of the city. He said stern action should be taken against terrorists and extortionists.
Talking about the situation of Balochistan, he said Islamabad has not learnt any lesson from the past. He said the youths of Balochistan are not against the country but against the injustice and uneven distribution of wealth and resources. He urged the federal government to solve the genuine problems of Balochistan and give justice to its people. He said the political leadership of the country should form a political jirga to solve the problems of Balochistan.
He said the establishment of the judicial commission is the success of their political jirga. He said all other problems of the nation should be solved on the same pattern and with the same spirit. He said the JI wants to make Pakistan a real Islamic welfare state and for this, we have to launch yet another Pakistan Movement.
