Election Commission to decide polls date: PM

• He said ECP had power to announce date for new elections.
• PM Kakar said speculations regarding elections should end.
• He said Govt has no intention to prolong tenure of government.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said the Election Commission of Pakistan would decide about the date for the upcoming elections.

The prime minister, in an interview, said the Parliament had passed a law according to which the ECP had the power to announce the date for new elections.

Speculations regarding the elections should end which would be held according to the prevalent law, he said, adding, “We have no intention to prolong the tenure of the caretaker government.”

He said as a student of the history of Pakistan, he would express gratitude to the Quaid-e-Azam for protecting rights of the Muslim minority and saving it from the domination of majority.

After seeing the attitude of bigger states against the minorities, he said, he could see that it would have been difficult to protect the religious and cultural identity of the Muslims if the Quaid had not secured an independent state for the Muslims.

He said he admired the Quaid-e-Azam for his constitutionalism, all-inclusiveness and for protection of rights of minorities.

The prime minister assured that action against smuggling would continue and the writ of the state would be established.

He said the Apex Committee of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) included current military leadership, thus making the Council a strong constitutional and legal body which was taking firm actions and implementing decisions.

The caretaker federal and provincial governments had good coordination which was helpful in implementing decisions, he noted.

He said the SIFC was focusing on economic revival and on sectors of agriculture and mineral extraction. However, work would be done on major plans of investment so that they could be at an advanced stage when the next government would take over, he added.

However, he made it clear that the terrorists could not take away an inch of territory of Pakistan and the security forces would respond and manage the situation. The state would show its firmness against terrorists as in no condition anyone would be allowed to resort to violence, he stressed.

PM Kakar said there was no restriction on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for taking part in the elections.

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