ISLAMABAD: The caretaker government Tuesday said all political parties in Pakistan enjoy equal rights to participate in the upcoming general elections as per the constitution and prevailing electoral laws.
The government categorically clarified that the remarks made by the caretaker prime minister during a recent interview with the foreign wire service Associated Press had been “misunderstood and misreported.”
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an official statement that included the original text from the Associated Press interview to clarify Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s intentions.
The ministry drew attention to the following text of the Prime Minister’s interview: “We are not pursuing anyone on a personal vendetta,” Kakar said. “But yes, we will ensure that the law is appropriate. If anyone, be it Imran Khan or any other politician, violates the country’s laws in terms of their political behavior, then the law’s restoration has to be ensured. We cannot equate that with … political discrimination.”
The ministry expressed disappointment that some media outlets had distorted the interview’s content, creating the false impression that certain individuals would be barred from participating in the general elections.
The ministry highlighted the following excerpt from the prime minister’s interview:
“We are not pursuing anyone on a personal vendetta,” Kakar stated. “But yes, we will ensure that the law is upheld. Anyone who violates the country’s laws through their political actions, whether it’s Imran Khan or any other politician, must face legal consequences. We cannot equate this with political discrimination.”
Kakar explained that fair elections could proceed without Khan or numerous members of his party currently incarcerated due to their involvement in unlawful activities, including acts of vandalism and arson, which occurred following Khan’s initial arrest in May.
The caretaker prime minister emphasized that those in Khan’s party who did not engage in unlawful activities “will be involved in the political process and participate in the elections.”
The Information Ministry reiterated in its statement that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its leaders are free to participate in the elections on an equal footing with any other political party. It was emphasized that no barriers prevent any PTI leader or the party from contesting the polls.
The statement further underscored that every citizen is equal before the law, and the legal process will proceed for any individual facing legal charges. The judiciary remains independent and impartial, and the caretaker government neither possesses the authority nor the intention to interfere with the judicial process at any level.
Additionally, it was clarified that any individual dissatisfied with a ruling or order from a statutory or judicial body has a constitutionally guaranteed right to appeal to the next higher forum in the judicial hierarchy for relief.
“The caretaker government is fully committed to conducting free and fair elections. It will uphold the constitutional and legal framework for the elections and ensure strict compliance with all directives and orders issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan and the independent judiciary,” the government’s statement concluded. —APP
