Lahore: Naib Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Liaqat Baloch has said that the government's claims of economic stability are contrary to the facts. He said unfortunately, all economic indicators are unsatisfactory at this time.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Liaqat Baloch said currently, the unemployment rate in the country stands at 7 percent, and nearly half of the country's population is forced to live below the poverty line. Rejecting the ineffective governmental rhetoric regarding the one-year performance of the Prime Minister of the government established through the rigged election results of February 2024, a fact sheet has been issued, reflecting the true performance of the current government and the resultant challenges and hardships faced by the country and its people.
He said that February 8, 2024, was the worst Election Day in the country's electoral history, and it was the darkest day for democracy and elected institutions. The fraudulent elections led to the establishment of fake and disgraceful governments, which exacerbated the political, economic, and social crises, he said. Due to the illegitimate, illegal, and worthless governments, the public was burdened with unemployment, corruption, and the abuse of power, he added.
Liaqat Baloch said the only way to come out from the economic, political, and constitutional crises is to acknowledge the true public mandate of the 2024 elections. If opposition parties struggle for the restoration of the people's mandate based on Form 45, only then can democracy, public rights, and fair elections be possible, he said. Jamaat-e-Islami will continue its struggle for the implementation of the constitution, the establishment of an independent judiciary and fair elections, he added.
Naib Emir Jamaat-e-Islami said that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are plagued by terrorism, while Punjab and Sindh are suffering from unrest, street crimes, and abductions for ransom. The governments, police administration, and security agencies are either helpless against those who make the lives of the public miserable, or corrupt officials have become facilitators of criminal elements through collusion, he claimed.
He said that Parachinar, Peshawar, Quetta, Chaman and various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are continuously caught in unrest and terrorism, due to which both security personnel and ordinary citizens are consistently sacrificing their precious lives and properties. According to government claims, the inflation rate has come down to single digits, reportedly told less around 4.1%, meaning that the public is still buying expensive items beyond their purchasing power, he added.
Liaqat Baloch said these government statistics are also contrary to the actual facts because the true picture is determined by individual inflation. When the public goes to the market and spends on basic necessities such as food, beverages, education, healthcare, clothing/shoes, transportation, rent, utility bills, and mobile phone bills, the expenses are still higher compared to last year, he concluded.