LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JI) chief Sirajul Haque on Monday claimed that Rs 50 billion from the national exchequer was wasted in the general elections held on February 8.

He described the 2024 general election as “a continuation of the 2018 general election” and expressed skepticism about the ability of any resulting government to govern effectively.

Haque criticized what he claimed was the “dominance of self-sufficient individuals in Pakistani politics”, warning that a flawed political environment would inevitably lead to a dysfunctional state.

He warned against the alleged rigging of the election, saying it would only worsen the country’s existing fragile state. He lamented that all hopes for economic and political stability in the inflation-stricken country are now dashed.

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Pakistan is already grappling with soaring inflation and soaring prices, with inflation rising 34.25 percent compared to last year alone.

The JI chief said his party’s mandate “has been usurped” and vowed to expose any “electoral fraud through constitutional and democratic means”.

Earlier, the JI had announced plans to hold an All Party Conference (APC) in Islamabad on February 25, inviting political parties across the political spectrum to participate. The conference aims to defend democracy and promote genuine democratic practices in Pakistan.