Renowned Islamic scholar Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani said on Saturday that if the masses decided to stand up for their rights, rulers would definitely surrender before them.Addressing a function held under the auspices of The Federation ofPakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in Karachi, Mufti Sabsaid that presently the country was facing political instability andfinancial crises.“The situation has come to such a pass that today every child in thecountry is under the burden of loans,” he said, adding,
“This is all dueto our subordination to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).”“Each newborn is a borrower due to slavery of the IMF. How can we makeprogress when Allah Almighty Has declared the interest-based system awar,” he added.He said that it was because of the country’s dependence on internationalmoney-lending organizations that Pakistan had to act upon the dictationfrom the West.He lamented that Pakistan was rich in mineral resources, but still itwas not self-sufficient.
The religious scholar said that now traders as well as the masses wouldhave to decide that they would no longer use imported items. “If we doso, the import of these goods will stop.”He was of the view that all segments of the society would have to getunited to rid themselves of servitude. However, Mufti Sab noted that any such political movement that couldfree the nation from the bondage had not succeeded so far.
“I think inthese circumstances, making Pakistan an Islamic state is difficult,” hesaid.He said that every election held in the country since its independencehas been controversial.Mufti Taqi Usmani said that revolutions are brought through the people,not the government, in the world. “We are still waiting for a betterpolitical system and good leadership. Slogans of rigging are chantedafter each election. Later, a demand for afresh election is made. Thebusiness community can force to rectify the politics if it is strong,”he declared.
“Traders can compel any government to alter its decisions as they act asthe jugular vein of any country. We couldn’t extend railway tracks afterpartition. We couldn’t even construct a road en route to the Lake SaifulMalook,” he deplored.Without naming anyone, Mufti Usmani, quoted a reference from a verse ofthe Holy Quran’s Surah Hujurat, saying “do not make fun of one another,do not indulge in back-biting … and do not call anyone with twistednames.””Please think about where we are going,” the Mufti said.Meanwhile, Pakistan’s business community leaders on Saturday unanimouslydemanded of the government for decreasing power rates.
“We have to pay 2,100 billion rupees for capacity charges this year,”the chambers of commerce of Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad havesaid. “Either the government save 240 million people of the country or42 IPPs,” the chambers officials said while commenting over the inflatedpower tariffs in the country.Senior Vice President of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries(FCCI) Sajjad Arshad said that the traders are not rioters, but thewater has now gone above the head. “If the problem not resolvedpromptly, it could go beyond the control,” he warned.“There are 130 independent power producers (IPPs) operating in thecountry”, he said.
