LAHORE, Jan 31: Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed serious concerns over the increasing energy crisis in the country causing load shedding of power and gas, and forcing thousands of industrial units to shut down and leaving millions of workers jobless.

In a statement on Thursday, JI secretary general Syed Munawar Hasan said power load shedding for eight to ten hours in cities and gas load shedding for factories has almost suspended industrial sector and badly affected the working classes by leaving millions of workers jobless due to closure of factories. He said scarcity of essential items is increasing and signs of famine like situation have started showing, while industrialists appeals to the rulers have met deaf ears. He said closure of tube wells have badly affected the agriculture sector and wheat crop is suffering due to shortage of water.

Munawar asked if it was the 'economic development' which the rulers have been trumpeting for the last many years, and said president Musharraf is still claiming that country has made record development during his rule.

Munawar warned that continuation of Musharraf rule will make the nation face further crisis and he must be removed to pull the country out of problems. He asked the political parties contesting elections to boycott the 'fraud' elections and join APDM's anti Musharraf movement to ensure free, fair and impartial elections for putting the country on road to democracy.

 
                                              ---------------------------------------------