Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq said on Monday that the people were facing severe economic hardships due to the red-hot inflation.

Expressing his thoughts in Lahore, Mr Haq asserted: "The caretaker and former governments are on the same page in line with the kowtowing to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)." He called for pouring on to the streets for the sake of the people's rights.

"The people are deprived of eating bread two times a day," he lamented.

He made it clear that his party will stage a protest outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor House on September 18.

– Sirajul Haq calls for cooperation with ECP –

Few days back, Mr Haq stressed the need for cooperation with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in line with holding the general elections within the constitutional term of 90 days.

Expressing his thoughts, Mr Haq was of the view that there was a dire need to hold transparent elections for the sake of stability in the country. "The JI will hold talks with the political parties to reach consensus on timely elections," he added.

He bemoaned the inflated bills and exorbitant price of gas, saying, "Where will the masses go as the price of power has been increased by up to 80 percent? The increase in the price by up to 50 percent has also been announced," Mr Haq rued.

Taking a jibe at the mafias, Mr Haq said, "The mafias had remained part of all the governments. Nobody had tightened the noose around the mafias."