Caretaker PM vows to implement former govt’s commitments; ensure rule of law, financial discipline

Abdullah Jan

Islamabad: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar vowed on Friday to comply with the commitments made by the previous government on national and international levels with different forums, besides ensuring rule of law and financial discipline during the interim period. “We do not have perpetual mandate to serve the nation but during the given allocated time we will try to lay foundation where we have sense of continuation of national and international commitments that the previous government has made with different forums,” he said while talking to the cabinet members here during the first cabinet meeting of the caretaker government.

With respect to a new initiative-Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), launched by former government, the prime minister said the caretaker government would fully support it. He said SIFC was a dream comes true project as Pakistan was an agriculture country and rich with mineral resources. He said in fact SIFC was not a new idea but it was an old national dream that was going to be materialized now. “Day has arrived when with the support of all institutions including Pakistan military leadership, we support, facilitate, encourage, and realize this old national dream.” He said this initiatives was not held by any institution but it was collectively owned by around 250 million people of the country. “We all own it and we will contribute towards it.”

During the meeting he individually acknowledged the services of all the cabinet members saying “I am very proud that we have got one of the best team”. He hoped that the Almighty Allah would enable them to lead and steer this nation during the interim period. “With our utmost duty, may be it is a month, two or three, or three and a half, whatever the allocated time is, we will demonstrate through our actions not by our words,” he added. With regard to the economic situation in the country, the prime minister said he was well aware of the huge economic challenges but with an able team, the government would ensure the financial discipline. “We have a sense of sanctity of tax payers’ money. This money on which we are having today’s meeting, using resources or traveling, is paid by the people of Pakistan.” He said either it was an ordinary vender, shopkeeper, teacher, lawyer or any other person, all were contributing in this regard.

PM Kakar said in this polarized environment, the government would try to differentiate between politics and law. He said the government would ensure that rule of order was not compromised in any way and the rule of order would lead us towards the rule of law. “We know the sanctity of the order that would be kept at any cost. Pakistan is owned and shared by all ethnicities, all creeds, and all religious background,” he added. He highlighted that the rigidity, be it in any form in the society, would be strongly discouraged. He said rigidity might come in the garb of religion or secularism or in any other form, these extreme attitude would be discourage and would be controlled by the law. He said the minorities would stay protected in this country and any attempt to harm them from a section of marginalized group of people would be responded strictly by the state and the society.

He said the miscreants might be from us but we must have to divorce them and keep distant from them. He said Pakistan was created on noble principles and the country was the product of noble idea. Speaking about the incident of May 9, the prime minister explicitly expressed disappointment and discomfort over the sabotage activities happened on the day. He said attack on the military installation was like the country’s immune system was attacked which could lead towards fatality.

“We do not just condemn it but we also will ensure that justice will be done and whosoever violated laws on those days will be treated according to law and there will not be any favor to anybody”. On Kashmir issue, the prime minister said “It was the core issue which could not be ignored. “It lies in our soul, for us Kashmir is eternal.”