After all legal avenues have been explored, Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has stated that the government does not have the authority to rule on Imran Khan’s eligibility to run in the upcoming general elections if the courts rule against him.
While in London, Prime Minister Kakar gave an exclusive interview to BBC’s HARDtalk, stressing that “the fate of Imran Khan is not final at this point.” It is out of the caretaker government’s hands, but he does have access to the courts, and if all of his options are exhausted, he may be lawfully prevented from taking part in the electoral process.
Prime Minister Kakar reaffirmed, in reference to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and President Shehbaz Sharif, that the decision to prevent any individual from voting will come from the courts, not the government. He made it clear that, in his capacity as caretaker prime minister, he has no power to reverse such measures.
He said that authorities would have to check into whether the three-time prime minister had protective bail or other legal options available to him before deciding whether or not to arrest him upon his return from London.
Since Nawaz Sharif had left the country in response to a court order, the prime minister said in another interview with BBC Urdu, the legal process should take its course. He predicted there would be no disruptive behaviour if Nawaz were incarcerated because the PML-N leadership would put election participation ahead of agitative politics.
Kakar made it clear that PTI as a political party could still run for office, but that any PTI members found guilty of crimes like rioting, vandalism, arson, or inciting to violence would be punished severely.
There would be no “harshness” in the handling of PTI, he said, but those who engaged in violence would face legal repercussions. Prime Minister Kakar predicted that the number of people partaking in such activities would be tiny compared to the whole population of the country.
To guide the country through these difficult circumstances and to guarantee free and fair elections, Prime Minister Kakar reaffirmed his government’s commitment. He was confident that the forthcoming elections will be fair and honest.
Prime Minister Kakar responded to PTI head Imran Khan’s criticism of the military by saying that the same military worked hand in glove with Khan during his tenure and that Khan used to notoriously take credit for hybrid arrangements.
The prime minister addressed the subject of terrorism, saying that Pakistan had lost over 90,000 lives in the war against terrorism and was left to deal with the fallout when NATO and ISF pulled out of the region. He praised Pakistan’s armed forces and paramilitary organisations for their outstanding work in the fight against terrorism.
When asked about the recent uptick in terrorist attacks, PM Kakar blamed the surplus equipment left behind in Afghanistan by the United States and the United Kingdom. He said that after the pullout, the black market was flooded with weapons and equipment from the contemporary Afghan army.
While PM Kakar admitted that Pakistan was fighting the TTP on Pakistani soil, he also said that the TTP’s safe haven in Afghanistan was a factor.
When asked about the government’s economic priorities, he pointed to its crackdown on black market currency exchange and stockpiling. He also confirmed that the government would move on with its plans to privatise Steel Mill, PIA, and power distribution businesses, all of which are currently under government control.
He explained that while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) requires elections to be held within 90 days, taking action outside that time frame is not in violation of Article 254 of the Constitution.
