Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that fair elections could proceed without former Prime Minister Imran Khan or the hundreds of his party members currently imprisoned for various charges, including vandalism and arson.
These charges stemmed from the unrest following Khan’s initial arrest on May 9 which resulted into protests that turned violent leading to burning of civil and military installations across the country.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Kakar reassured that the thousands of members of Khan’s party who did not engage in unlawful activities would still actively participate in the elections.
Addressing concerns of military interference, Kakar dismissed the notion as “absolutely absurd.”
He emphasized that the Election Commission, not the military, would conduct the elections.
Kakar pointed out that Khan himself appointed the current chief of the Election Commission, making any suspicions of bias unfounded.
Meanwile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had postponed the elections, originally scheduled for November, to the last week in January.
However, the prime minister had pledged full government support, including financial and security assistance, once the exact election date is set.
Asked about potential interference in Khan’s conviction, Kakar affirmed his commitment to judicial independence, stating he wouldn’t meddle in judicial decisions.
He stressed the importance of the judiciary’s impartiality and urged against using it as a political tool.
He acknowledged challenges in civil-military relations but attributed the imbalance to the long-term deterioration of civilian institutions. Kakar emphasized the need to strengthen civilian institutions rather than weaken the military, believing it to be the path to resolving Pakistan’s challenges.
