Mustaqbal Demands Miqati’s ‘Immediate Resignation’ in Order for Stability to Be Restored

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc noted on Tuesday that the government has demonstrated in the past few months a “complete inability to maintain the security of the people.”

It demanded in a statement after its weekly meeting “Prime Minister Najib Miqati to immediately resign in order for stability to be restored in Lebanon.”

It therefore called on the people to “support the state, its institutions, army, and security forces.”

In addition, it accused the government of serving Syrian interests and thereby increasing the divide among the Lebanese people and forcing some Arab countries to advise their residents against traveling to Lebanon.

Addressing the May 12 arrest of Islamist Shadi al-Mawlawi in Tripoli and the “assassination” of Sheikhs Ahmed Abdul Wahed and Mohammed Merheb in northern Lebanon on Sunday, the bloc strongly condemned the incidents, voicing its commitment to the state and security and military agencies.

“At the same time however, it warned against the repetition of such developments, which is forcing the Lebanese people to protect their country against the control of spiteful forces and regional and international meddling,” it remarked.

“The main responsibility falls on the government, seeing as it is accountable for the actions of the security agencies and it is therefore responsible for rectifying their errors,” it added.

The Mustaqbal bloc therefore demanded an investigation into Abdul Wahed and Merheb’s murder and that the case be referred to the judicial council.

Al-Mawlawi was released from detention on Tuesday.

Addressing Syrian Ambassador to U.N. Bashar al-Jaafari’s letter to the U.N. accusing charitable organizations managed by Salafist groups and the Mustaqbal Movement of harboring terrorists from al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood, the bloc said: “The letter included baseless claims.”

“Except for Miqati’s response to the letter, the Lebanese government failed to make any serious response to the development,” it noted.

“The least it could have done was convene in order to voice whether it supports or rejects the letter. It should have confirmed whether the leader of the Free Syrian Army had in fact visited Lebanon and verify claims that he is seeking to set up a buffer zone along Lebanon’s border with Syria,” said al-Mustaqbal.

“The government should have summoned the Syrian ambassador to Lebanon to officially complain against this insulting letter,” stressed the bloc.

In addition, it should have immediately handed a letter to the U.N. and Arab League to respond to the Syrian allegations.