Nation should not have any doubt about elections schedule: PM

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said that the nation should not have any doubts about the general elections scheduled to be held on February 8, 2024.

“I have no doubt about it… The concerns are often associated with our political system. We have a history of our own,” he remarked in an interview with Independent Urdu.

The prime minister expressed the hope that the elections would be held free and fair. To a question, he said he did not consider the general elections of the 70s as a benchmark either as many people had different opinions about those elections. “Of course, they were very transparent. At that time, it was already decided before the elections which way they would go to, so I consider it a problem,” he added.

He said as the arrangements were in place, he was hopeful that the caretaker government would be able to give results in a relatively better way. The prime minister said that he endorsed the Election Commission’s denial of the any delay in the polls . “They (Election Commission) have to conduct (elections). We are with them.” He said as per Election Commission, the election schedule will cover 56 days, based on which the schedule should be announced by December 14.

To a question about the participation of Imran Khan or his party in the general elections, he that there was no restriction on him yet. “However, if something unusual comes up, I can’t say anything about it yet. As of today, they are in a position to contest elections and they will contest.” About the disappearances and resurfacing of PTI leaders, the prime minister said such people went into hiding fearing the arrest for their involvement in attacks on state institutions on May 9.

He said while in hiding, they would have a second thought to leave PTI or politics which was their personal decision. He said that no evidence of ‘state coercion’ had come to his knowledge, and even none of those people had spoken of ‘state coercion’. Until then, it’s just allegations, he added.

Prime Minister Kakar disagreed with the view that the decision of May 9 arsons should be left to the people for elections. He also rejected the allegations of not having a level playing field.

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Coming to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the prime minister said a lot could have been done, but Pakistan was still trying to establish an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian corridor. There is always something that can be improved, he remarked.