Election Commission’s prerogative to decide poll date: Pakistan’s caretaker PM

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 4 (ANI): Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that as per the law, deciding the date for general elections in the country is the prerogative of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Geo News reported on Sunday. 

In an interview with a Pakistani local news channel, the interim PM also said that his government would comply with whatever the decision made by the Supreme Court regarding the upcoming polls.

The issue arose after President Arif Alvi invited Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja last month for a meeting to “fix an appropriate date” for general elections after the ECP expressed its inability to hold elections within the constitutionally mandated period. 

In his letter to the CEC, the president quoted Article 244 of the Constitution, saying he was duty-bound to get the elections conducted in the 90-day prescribed period once the National Assembly is dissolved prematurely, according to Geo News.

In the interview, Kakar said that deciding a date for general elections in the country is the prerogative of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Terming the May 9 riots “an attempted coup and civil war,” the caretaker PM condemned the violence and said that the main target was the serving army chief and his team in the military, Geo News reported. 

Kakar said the whole world witnessed the vandalism and arson on May 9. This kind of manipulation is not acceptable in any form of government.”

He said the government does not want to create an impression that revenge is being taken against the accused of May 9 violence.

However, he added, if legal action is not taken against those who violated the country’s laws and resorted to violence, then “we will be seen as a party to the matter”.

The caretaker PM added that no political party had the right to throw stones at others, abuse them, and burn buildings, as per Geo News.

Talking about the banned outfit, Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Kakar said that the state has both negotiation and force to deal with the TTP or any banned organisation.

The caretaker PM also spoke about his new role, “I had no idea that I would ever sit on the prime minister’s chair.”

Responding to a query, Kakar said that he is not willing to stay in the office longer than the timeframe set by the Constitution.