PM dispels doubts about election on Feb 8

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Thursday said there should be no doubt about polls on February 8 as the election process had started with the candidates filing their nomination papers and the political parties busy in building narratives to attract voters. In an interview with a private television channel, he said it was a constitutional requirement to hold elections which would be held on February 8 after which a new elected government would be formed.

To a question, he said the government would provide security to political leaders, including the three time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maryam Nawaz, Imran Khan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and others. Prominent political leaders could be targeted and the government would be blamed for any lapse in their security, he continued. “It is the responsibility of the government to provide security to political leaders and voters of Pakistan.” He said the caretaker government would fulfill its responsibility during the holding of elections.

It would be illegal to stop the Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) from taking part in the elections, he said and clarified there was no policy to stop the PTI from organizing public meetings. On the election day, the candidates of PTI would be in the field and the voters would be voting for them, he commented. He said those who were involved in the incidents of May 9 were facing the law of the land. He was of the view that those involved in the May 9 incidents should not be public office-holders.

He said the Election Commission should look into complaints made by political parties about maladministration. To a question, he said overall political circumstances triggered the actions against the PTI and lessons were learnt by the State. He said, “It is not our job to tell overseas Pakistanis which political party they should support.” However, the people should vote for a party which had an agenda for the economic revival of Pakistan, he opined. “I will vote for a party which has an agenda to revive the economy,” he asserted.

The prime minister said there was a wave of terrorism in the country and there were forces which wanted to cause disruption in Pakistan and the government would make all efforts to protect the lives of people. About the disappearance and surfacing of certain politicians, he said the government had no concern with it and those individuals were responsible for their actions and stance. Responding to a query, the prime minister said demonstrations in democratic societies were held with the permission of local administration.

He said he formed a five-member cabinet committee to engage with protesters from Balochistan, adding the protesters had the right to peacefully protest and voice their concerns. The courts were looking into the cases of the incidents taking place in Balochistan, he added. He reminded that attacks occurred against security forces, police and other sections of society in Balochistan but no voice was raised by the civil society against those killings. “Fifteen persons were burnt on the Coastal Highway in Balochistan but no voice was raised,” he added. Terrorist organizations were operating in the province, which also tried to gain political sympathy from sections of society, he said.