- Terms PTI’s gesture of writing a letter to IMF unjustified and highly irresponsible
- Says non-state actors in Balochistan were involved in human rights violations
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday expressed his disapproval of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership’s latest political salvo of writing a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), termed it ‘highly irresponsible’.
Appearing in a talk show of a private TV channel, the prime minister said the letter was sent at time when the caretaker government had worked significantly for the economic revival with the relevant indicators showing positive trends, it achieved different financial targets.
The negotiations with the IMF were in the process for 6 billion dollars agreement which was important for the economic health of the country, he said, adding moreover, different multilateral agreements were also dependent on it.
He said that there were appropriate forums for the electoral disputes and the PTI’s gesture of writing a letter to the IMF was unjustified and highly irresponsible.
However, he maintained that in the tangible terms, the letter would have no effects, but it would have political costs for the PTI that had a narrative in that regard.
To a question, the caretaker prime minister said that he had appeared before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Baloch missing persons’ case to show that the interim set-up was functioning under a constitutional order.
The court’s orders should be respected and he appeared before it to reiterate the same stance and set a precedent, he added.
Rights bodies failed to condemn ‘non-state actors’ in Balochistan
Earlier in the day, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar said that non-state actors in Balochistan were involved in human rights violations but rights bodies had failed to condemn them.
The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday took up the issue of enforced disappearances and summoned the caretaker prime minister.
Kakar duly appeared before the court and said that only an idiot and stupid person would support enforced disappearances. “Who would be idiot and stupid to do advocacy of enforced disappearances.”
Kakar underscored that common people in Balochistan were subjected to attacks by non-state actors saying that three months ago people were burnt alive on the Coastal Highway.
He said rights bodies should criticise non-state actors. People are being killed on ethnic lines but everyone is silent, he said.
Kakar said there was armed insurgency in Balochistan. A former chief justice was assassinated after his retirement, he said adding that no country would allow armed groups to exist within its border.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani heard the case.
When the hearing formally began, Attorney General Mansoor Usman began his argument.
The court interrupted him to ask if more people had gone missing since the earlier list was submitted.
The attorney general told the court that there were 12 people on the original list and three were still missing. Nine were found in the CTD custody, he said.
The attorney general said from another list of 26 people at least two were found in Afghanistan.
