In a Friday press conference in ISLAMABAD, Information Minister Murtaza Solangi reaffirmed the caretaker government’s promise to treat all registered political parties equally during the approaching general elections.
Solangi, speaking at a press conference with Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, explained that the caretaker government’s term had been extended somewhat due to the CCI’s acceptance of the updated census data.
According to Solangi, the end of anti-caretaker government propaganda was marked by the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) statement that elections would be held in the final week of January 2019.
Elections, he said, would be place only when constituency boundaries were redrawn to reflect the most recent census data (Article 51(5) of the Constitution).
He further said that the ECP was currently participating in the delimitation process.
He indicated that on November 27 the ECP would issue preliminary results and on November 30 the final results.
“The ECP shall provide political parties with 54 days for election campaigns in accordance with the Elections Act,” he continued.
The minister stressed the importance of an autonomous and robust ECP in ensuring that the elections are conducted in a manner that is free, fair, and transparent. The ECP’s blessing on transfers and postings is what the caretaker government will need, he said.
He emphasised that all government agencies were operating independently.
Solangi stated that the caretaker administration was not involved in Nawaz Sharif’s case and that it was wrong to speculate while the matter was before the courts.
He emphasised that everyone has the right to a basic standard of living.
Solangi claimed the administration was making efforts to solve the problems faced by journalists. The journalist Khalid Jamil was lawfully detained, he said, and all constitutional and legal procedures must be followed.
In response to a question, the minister said he had already spoken with the interim chief minister of Sindh about the murder of Jan Muhammad Mahar.
The minister responded to Fawad Hasan Fawad’s detractors by noting that Fawad had served under several administrations as a civil servant.
Solangi added that Fawad does not support any one political party.
