ISLAMABAD: The interim prime minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to holding free and fair elections on Monday by saying there was still no compelling reason to postpone the general elections.
The prime minister said that the candidates were canvassing and that all the rumors would be cleared up by the evening of February 8, the day of the country’s general elections, in an interview with the recently formed television network, Aik News.
He responded to the typical charges of election meddling by saying that the parliament needed to correct all of the Election Commission’s mistakes in terms of law, administration, and learning from the past.
He added that the elections will be largely free and fair since the observers would monitor the situation and the local and international media would report on the happenings in accordance with local standards.
He discovered that the political parties were also manipulating the polls by creating false ID cards and using the votes of the dead.
He emphasized that everyone should utilize their constitutional right to vote on February 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in order to ensure a strong turnout.
He emphasized how critical it is to strengthen the country’s economy and bemoaned the lack of a plan to that effect from any political party. He maintained that all of the political promises made by the parties, including those about access to inexpensive power, jobs, housing, and food security, were directly related to a stable economy.
He claimed that in order to increase revenue and broaden the tax base, the political parties needed to come up with a plan.
Using Pakistan as an example, he pointed out that the Nordic countries had a tax-to-GDP ratio of 91%, whereas Pakistan’s ratio was only 9%. Additionally, he contended that tax increases would compel the government to answer to the people.
In response to a question regarding his foreign travels, he said he had attended the UN General Assembly session soon after assuming office, referring to it as “a forum which cannot be ignored,” and that he had also had conversations with individuals in Europe while his plane was refueling. Additionally, he highlighted his attendance at the BRI Forum, the COP28 meeting, and the ECO Summit in China, where he had the opportunity to engage with world leaders and ink bilateral agreements.
He explained that day-to-day management of operations, including foreign policy matters, had to be left to the caretaker administration.
He clarified that Pakistan had only deported individuals who lacked identity or documents and that those individuals would only be allowed to return once they had gotten valid passports and visas. This was in relation to the return of unauthorized foreign nationals.
Speaking on social media, he promoted regulation that is akin to that of mainstream media, characterizing it as a challenge that empowers individuals irrespective of their educational background or mental ability.
Aside from the support of the cabinet’s approval, he contended that the accusations leveled against the caretaker administration for operating outside of its power was unjustified because the Law Division had authorized and approved every action taken by it.
