PTI chairman safe and in good health, those attacking military installations must be punished: Kakar
Pakistan
Says can’t tolerate Afghan Taliban acting as silent spectators when TTP continues targeting Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News/ News Desk) – Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Sunday said the people involved in attacks on military installations must not go unpunished, as he referred to the May 9 violence perpetrated by the supporters of PTI chairman.
If the people attack an institution, responsible for saving the country from anarchy, they should be tried in courts as per the law, Kakar said in an interview to a private TV channel.
Talking about the government’s move to challenge the Supreme Court verdict to strike down military trials of civilians, the caretaker prime minister said it was quite justified as if anybody attacked any military installation, he or she must be tried in military courts.
He said the caretaker government did not put the former prime minister behind bars and strongly debunked the notion of poisoning the PTI chairman in jail, saying that such baseless allegations show irresponsible attitude of the party leaders and supporters.
Kakar said it was the government’s legal responsibility to provide the required facilities to the PTI leaders in jail. The PTI chairman was quite safe and in good health,” he added.
AFGHANISTAN AND TALIBAN
The caretaker prime minister said he could not tolerate that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continued operating from Afghanistan while the Afghan Taliban act as a silent spectator.
To a question as to why Pakistan was not initiating the negotiation process with the TTP, the caretaker prime minister said if the TTP really wanted to go on the table with Pakistan, they must have to put down their arms first.
Kakar said the Afghan Taliban knew from where the TPP was operating. They were in Afghanistan when the façade of dialogue was created two years ago [under the then PTI government], he said, adding that the state had to take tough decisions, when and if required.
It is worth mentioning that the PTI chairman had publically admitted that many Taliban were rehabilitated in erstwhile FATA, while justifying holding talks with the banned terrorist organisation.
He said all the Afghans, irrespective of creed and caste were equally important for Pakistan as both nations had centuries-old cultural and religious relations. However, he said the state would show zero tolerance for those engaged in terrorist activities in the country.
About the repatriation of Afghan refugees, Kakar maintained it was a difficult decision, however, he made it clear that only illegally registered Afghans were asked to leave the country.
But he clarified that the government had asked the Afghans living in Pakistan without legal documents to repatriate to their country and then come back with legal documents so that they could live in Pakistan legally and respectfully.
NO ONE IS A FAVOURITE
Kakar also dispelled the impression that some parties were being given undue favour and others being sidelined. All the political parties including PTI and PPP were engaged in their election campaign across the country, he said.
Dispelling the impression that a certain political party was being favoured by the caretakers, he said the political parties normally tried to attract their voters in different ways and such allegations might be their tactics.
The prime minister said elections were going to be held in a transparent way, however, if someone questions the transparency of polls, he or she could consult relevant forums including courts.
CHINA AND CPEC
Responding to a question regarding the progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Kakar said China was going for the second phase of its grand Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and wanted more coordination and cooperation.
About the security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan, the caretaker prime minister expressed the government’s firm resolve to curb all kinds of violence in the country. “Our security forces have full capacity to handle violence.”
