'Poll results will end uncertainty': caretaker PM on PML-N's preferential treatment
Pakistan
‘Poll results will end uncertainty’: caretaker PM on PML-N’s preferential treatment
(Web Desk) – Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, in response to concerns about preferential treatment towards the Nawaz Sharif-led PML-N, expressed uncertainty on Sunday regarding the decision to bring the PML-N into power.
In the run-up to the Feb 8 elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have accused the PML-N of having brokered a deal with the military establishment.
However, Kakar, during an interview with a private news channel, stated that to his knowledge, no such move had been made. He expressed hope that the election results on Feb 9 would put an end to the prevailing uncertainty.
Addressing the May 9 riots, the prime minister underscored the importance of holding those responsible accountable without punishing the entire PTI. He said that investigations by various institutions were ongoing and the findings would be made public by the military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), upon completion.
PM Kakar, who voted for the PTI in the 2013 and 2018 general elections, refrained from forming an opinion on whether the PTI founder was personally involved in the May 9 riots.
Regarding the possibility of transferring the government to the PTI if the party wins the upcoming elections, Kakar said that the decision rested with the people. He asserted, “The caretaker set-up has no option but to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power.”
On the issue of Baloch separatists residing abroad, the prime minister discussed Brahamdagh Bugti's perspective on the armed struggle for an independent Baloch state, leaving the judgment to history.
He acknowledged the complexity of reconciling with past separatist movements, pointing out the challenges in dealing with groups that resort to violence despite previous efforts at pacification.
Responding to outrage over remarks about Baloch missing persons, the PM asserted that statements were often misconstrued. He denied allegations of throwing anyone from a helicopter, labeling it as cheap propaganda.
The prime minister advocated resolving the missing persons issue phase by phase at the grassroots level and questioned the stance of human rights organizations, intelligentsia, and the media on the relevant sections of the Constitution.
