ISLAMABAD, Dec 6: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has finalised its strategy to contest local government elections to be held across the country, according to party’s veteran leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Sirajul Haq. Talking to media personnel here on Friday, Mr Haq said necessary directives were being given to district offices of the party and arrangements were being made to take part in local government elections with full force. Also on Friday, Mr Haq attended a party meeting held to discuss the arrangements to be made and the strategy to be devised for local government elections at the JI’s Islamabad office.
He said the JI gave great importance to local government elections because it wanted transfer of powers to grassroots level. For the purpose, he added, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had introduced what he called an exemplary local government law.
The JI leader said the involvement of the US in the affairs of Pakistan had increased to an alarming level and now there was a need to stop this interference.
He said if the US would continue launching drone attacks in Pakistan a protest would be launched outside its embassy in the federal capital.
Mr Haq asked the federal government to demand a compensation of $100 billion from the US and other Nato countries against damages “their war on terror” had caused to Pakistan’s economy.
He said the “US war on terror” had badly affected investment environment in Pakistan and the worst sufferer was Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The JI leader severely criticised the US for the drone attack in Hangu, and said “the attack on Hangu should be considered as an attack on Islamabad”.
He criticised also the PML-N leadership for what he called not giving a proper response to the US on the Hangu attack.
He asked the federal government to clarify its position on drone attacks.
“It seems that the federal government does not consider Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as parts of our country,” he remarked.
He warned that if the centre would do nothing to protect the sovereignty of the country, millions of people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would march on Islamabad.
