No ban on PTI, says PM Kakar
Pakistan
No ban on PTI, says PM Kakar
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Tuesday said neither the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had placed any restrictions on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nor there was any move to dismantle it as a political party.
Interacting with media during his visit to Mayo Hospital, the prime minister said it was also the domain of the ECP to allocate election symbols to the political parties.
He further clarified that the caretaker set up would not commit any illegal and unconstitutional acts. The caretaker prime minister further elaborated that it was the government’s policy that all the big and small registered political parties had the equal rights and opportunities to contest the upcoming polls.
“Those who were raising apprehensions over provision of level playing field also have the freedom to make such claims,” he added.
To a question, he reiterated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was a constitutional body that would give a specific date for holding of general elections in the country. He said the delimitation process was a constitutional requirement and the previous parliament had legislated over the issue while the constitution mandated the procedure to be executed.
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The prime minister assured that the interim set up was ready to assist ECP in the process, adding that it was the fundamental mandate of ECP to give a date but the caretaker government could not dictate it in this regard.
PM Kakar reiterated that Pakistan was persistently raising the Palestine issue at the global fora and the recent horrible, condemnable and inappropriate aggression by Israel was leading to human catastrophe in Gaza.
He said that recently Pakistan co-hosted the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC) emergency session along with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the issue.
The prime minister further said that during his interactions with different global leaders, Chinese leadership and the international media, he had highlighted the issue and in unequivocal terms, conveyed sentiments and stance of the government and Pakistani nation.
Pakistan would continue playing its role over the issue till its resolution, he reassured. Considering the current crises, he said Pakistan demanded immediate ceasefire and opening of humanitarian corridor. The caretaker prime minister said Palestine was a historical and chronic issue but there was no reason over the inappropriate aggression exhibited by Israel.
To a query regarding repatriation of the illegal migrants, the prime minister said they had categorised the illegal aliens into three. There were around 1.7 million registered refugees over whom the government was fulfilling its international obligations, but there were the foreigners who without any documentation, had been living in Pakistan for years and doing business, he said, adding these were the people who had not been visible in their system. He said that there was no perpetual ban on these foreigners, as they could return after completing their valid and legal travel documents and visas. They could come to Pakistan for seeking education or doing businesses and the government would facilitate them.
While the third category fell in the identity theft and over whom they had devised a mechanism to remove them from the database, he added. The prime minister emphasized that the government was focusing on the regulated movement.
Responding to another question, he said that among these foreigners who had any self claims over businesses and properties, they could approach the relevant legal forums and institutions as the government’s policy was not focused on usurpation of their assets. The relevant forums and courts were fully functional who would decide their claims, he added.
The prime minister, to a question of mediaperson, replied that Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was a statutory body to whom a support was provided by the previous parliament through legislation. Its decisions could not be challenged or undone, he added.
The prime minister said that there negotiations with the International Monetary Fund were going on smoothly and they were confident that further negotiations for the second tranche would be reached during IMF team visit to Pakistan in the month of November.
The caretaker prime minister said that due to government’s measures of crackdown on smuggling and illicit currency trade, positive impacts had been caused on inflation with tangible reduction in the US dollar and petroleum products rates. The US dollar was now trading at around Rs 278 instead Rs330 which also helped reduced the country’s circular debt, he added.
Due to crackdown on illegal smuggling especially under Afghan transit trade, it had encouraged the local industry which was now returning to productivity, he further said, adding that economic indicators were showing positive trend. He also stressed upon projecting the history and culture of Pakistan to outer world to boost tourism sector in the country and lauded the provincial government for taking very important initiatives to attract religious tourism and vice versa.
Tourism had immense role in the economic development of the country, he said and asked other provinces which had historical sites to focus on this area.
The caretaker prime minister also praised Mayo hospital administration for revamping and improving their existing structure which he said was a precedent for them as such measures proved very cost effective.
He also reassured support of the caretaker federal government to the provincial governments, in its limited time, to realise such like projects.
