LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Sirajul Haq has warned the government to take practical steps to eradicate interest-based economy or get ready to face the countrywide protests.

Talking to JI workers at Mansoorah on Friday, Sirajul Haq said the government must issue directions to the banks to take back their appeals against Federal Shariat Court decision against riba. Despite government announcement, he said, 14 appeals were yet to be withdrawn, creating an impression that the rulers were insincere and reluctant to fulfill their commitment.

Sirajul Haq said the interest-based economy was the violation of the Constitution. He said Quaid-i-Azam Muhmmad Ali Jinnah (R.A) had issued the clear direction to introduce Islamic model of economy while inaugurating the State Bank of Pakistan. Seven decades had been passed to the instruction of the founder of Pakistan, yet the rulers had not taken a single step in this direction, he added. He demanded the government introduce riba amnesty scheme and build the tax system on Zakat and Ushar.

Sirajul Haq regretted the objectives on the basis of which the country got independence yet to be achieved. The IMF, he said, controlled the national economy and the western NGOs prepared the national curriculum. The country, he said, would not witness any change in presence of these agents of the status quo.

The JI, he said, had made a long struggle against interest-based economy and the time had come to take it to the conclusion. He said Islam provides solution to all the problems and the country needed Islamic system.