Elections will not be delayed, says PM Kakar

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of any delay in the general elections, saying they would be announced and conducted on time, APP reported.

“I don’t see any possibility (of delay in elections). I don’t have any confusion at all. I feel the elections will be announced and conducted on time,” the prime minister said in an interview with a private television channel.

Reiterating his government’s resolve to hold free and fair elections, he said all the registered political parties had legal and constitutional rights to canvass, mobilize people, and attract public support.

However, he said the government would not be responsible if someone was legally barred from the political process.

To a question, he emphasized effective law enforcement saying that his government, with the cooperation from military leadership, had implemented the existing laws to crack down on illegal currency businesses and hoarders.

He also called for the capacity building of the civilian institutions for the implementation of the laws.

The prime minister said the establishment of the democratic system within the political parties was essential for democracy in the country.

In response to a question, he said that while he had the freedom to join any party or start his own as a citizen and had interacted with all political figures prior to entering office as a political player, he had never thought about doing so.

He dismissed claims that the interim administration was biased in favor of the PML-N, stating that political parties frequently generate such impressions prior to elections in an effort to get support from the general population.

Prime Minister Kakar praised Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir's leadership abilities and declared that Pakistan's future was in capable and committed hands.

In response to a query, he stated that he felt at ease with the military's leadership and that the caretaker administration had the final word in all matters of decision-making.

When asked if Nawaz Sharif was mistreated, the prime minister responded that there were always concerns about court interventions because different parties had different perspectives on the relevant issues.

Regarding the cipher issue, Kakar said it was a state’s property, and exposing it for other than the prescribed usage was unjustified, though the court has yet to ascertain its illegality.

The prime minister claimed that he supported PTI in both the 2013 and 2018 elections in order to find solutions for problems with Pakistan's infrastructure, economics, foreign policy, and branding, rather than to target the military.