— People free to vote for candidates of their choice. No policy to oust anyone from political process; says PM
— Says Election Commission to decide on qualification, disqualification of candidates
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Saturday assured that the government would investigate the complaints about hurdles to stop some people from taking part in the electoral process.
In an interview with a private television, he said, “People are free to vote for the candidates of their choice. There is no policy to oust anyone from the political process.”
He said in his opinion those who showed disruptive behaviour and were involved in the incidents of May 9 should not be allowed to hold public office.
“However, the Election Commission will decide about qualification and disqualification of candidates.”
He agreed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a whole should not be related to the May 9 incidents and people should have a choice to vote for it in the election.
But those who were involved in the May 9 incident should face law of the land, he asserted adding police were acting against only those who were directly and indirectly involved in the incidents of May 9.
He said in 2013 and 2018 he voted for PTI as he wanted a better structure of governance and better facilities of health and education for people.
“State is a guarantor of the social order and when anyone challenges this order he is an anarchist,” he said while discussing the incidents of May 9.
He said Imran Khan was arrested due to an allegation and he could have received relief from the court but his party resorted to violence which led to the present circumstances.
Social unrest and chaos on May 9 endangered the security of Pakistan and could have severe implications for the state of Pakistan, he said adding maintenance of public order was a lawful tool and the administration was using it for decades to confine the movement of people as a preemptive measure.
Talking about the protesters from Balochistan who came to Islamabad, he said everyone had the right to protest with lawful behaviour.
However, if a situation of law and order would be created then law enforcement agencies would come into action, he clarified. The provincial government of Balochistan and a cabinet committee was formed to look into the issues raised by the protesters, he told.
He said Balochistan was plagued with terrorism for the last two decades, and particularly in the last two months, terrorism had risen in the country. “Our society and state is faced with the issue of terrorism.”
In some recent incidents, 15 people were burnt at the coastal highway in Balochistan, labourers were martyred at a police station in Turbat while the Hazara community was targetted in the past, he narrated, adding however not much voice was raised by the civil society about these incidents.
He expressed concern over the lack of support from political and civil organizations for the martyrs of law enforcement agencies.
He said religious and ethnic-inspired violence could not be given acceptability, adding only the state had the right to use force to protect unarmed civilians.
“If we demoralize our security forces how we can fight the war against terrorism,” he asked.
Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said there was no doubt that Israel was an illegal entity and there was no suggestion under consideration to recognize Israel.
Netanyahu was a war criminal and war crimes of Israel should be investigated as 7000 children were martyred, he said adding Pakistan wanted to send relief to Palestinians and raise voice at the international forums including Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the rights of Palestinians.
