LARKANA: Jamiat Ulemai-Islam-Fazl general secretary Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri has said that the nation is passing through a critical phase as the country`s economy has been badly affected.

He reiterated the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement`s claim that the ousted Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf and its chairman Imran Khan were responsible for the situation.

The JUI-F leader was speaking to ulema, scholars, faculty and students of a seminary, managed by the party, here on Thursday night.

He said `young ulema` were the country`s assets as they safeguarded its ideologi-cal frontiers. Anti-Islam forces, he added, were afraid of seminaries as these religious institutions preached Islam and also taught modern sciences and subjects.

Observing that skyrocketing prices in the country had severely affected the poor who could not now afford even two square meals, he said: `Life is gradually getting difficult`. He said that the JUI-F wanted to emerge as a ray of hope for the poor masses.

Holding Imran Khan and his PTI responsible for the situation, Senator Haideri alleged that `the country got weakened by the price spiral caused by mortgaging of State Bank and signing of an accord with IMF during the tenure of PTI government headed by Imran Khan.

The senator also ridiculedPTI leader Fawad Chaudhry`s remarks that `there are no jails and hangings in politics`, and argued that `our leaders including Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro had remained in jails during [a former military ruler] Ziaul Haq`s regime`. He said JUI-F leaders bravely faced tyranny and fought against it. He expressed his concern over the slow pace of court proceedings in the assassination case of Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro.

JUI-F Sindh secretary general Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro and chief executive of the seminary Maulana Nasir Mehmood Soomro also addressed the congregation during which turban-wearing ceremony of eight Muftis, 43 ulema and 75 Huffaz was performed.