Jamatud Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed says in the nomination papers there should be a provision that the candidate is a true Muslim and will do his best to make Pakistan an Islamic state in accordance with its founding ideology.

Delivering a lecture at the Hameed Nizami Hall here on Thursday, he said everybody wanted that the elections should not be rigged, but none was talking about the basic things about a candidate which should be mentioned in the nomination papers.

He said many were asserting that solution to all political, economic and other problems facing the country lay in the elections. But he said: Is it the first time that elections will be held in Pakistan?

The fairest ever elections had been held in 1970 and everyone knew the consequences the country had to face thereafter. India, he recalled, invaded the then East Pakistan and divided the once world’s largest Islamic state into two. About the manifestos of various parties, Haifiz Saeed said no party had made a commitment for the liberation of Kashmir.

He said it was regrettable that politicians were changing loyalties and joining the parties which in their assessment stood greater chances of success. There was no real target before such people, he said.

According to him, in all previous elections the turnout was not more than 30 to 35 per cent. But, he said, nobody ever liked the remaining 70 per cent people why they had not cast their votes.

He said Pakistan had been achieved in the name of Islam and it should be mandatory for all candidates that they would make the Holy Quran their manifesto.

Those opposed to the Pakistan Ideology or having separatist views should not be allowed to contest the elections, he asserted.
He said India was involved in subversive activities in Pakistan.

India had set up special centres in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where terrorists were being trained for activities in Balochistan and elsewhere in Pakistan. He said it was a serious question whether the situation in Balochistan would normalize before the elections.

Maulana Abol Hashim and Muhammad Yahya were also present on the occasion. Saifullah Sipra conducted the proceedings.