Politics

Pakistani Caretaker PMs View On Candidates Supported by Imran Khan

By - 13 Feb 2024 01:44 AM

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Pakistan's acting prime minister, stated on Monday that the only reason independents, who were supported by imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, became the single largest party in the general elections was because his administration gave "a level playing field" to all political parties.

Prior to Thursday's election, Mr. Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party had made repeated claims that the ruling elite and the interim administration were not treating all political parties equally and that certain parties and their leaders were receiving special treatment.The results of the National Assembly showed that the PTI-backed independents won 101 seats, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by another former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, won 75 seats, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, won 54 seats, and the MQM-P, in addition to others, won eight seats.The state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) cited Mr. Kakar as saying, "A large number of independent candidates backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf emerged as the largest single group on the national and provincial assemblies."Mr. Kakar emphasized that social media was the source of claims of electoral tampering, which were false and at odds with the actual situation. He also stated that "people had always questioned the electoral process throughout the country's democratic history."

He emphasised, "Such results indicated the transparency and non-interference by any quarters," during a press conference at PM House.While acknowledging the possibility of flaws or other minor issues, Mr. Kakar said that "in general, the elections were conducted in a way that the entire nation and the law enforcement agencies deserved commendation despite various security challenges."

asserting that the PTI achieved outcomes "the party never dreamt of during 2018," he stated, "The loyalists of jailed PTI leaders emerged as returned candidates in the general elections, but no one is appreciating that aspect of the neutrality of the caretaker government."

Mr. Kakar asserted in response to a question that more than 60 million people exercised their constitutional right to choose their preferred candidates in "a pressure-free environment."

"The elections in Pakistan were held in a free and fair manner and there was no institutional mechanism to favour any group," Mr. Kakar stated.