‘Caretaker govt to facilitate ECP in holding transparent elections’

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said it was the responsibility of the caretaker government to facilitate the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding free, fair and transparent elections and it would extend all possible assistance in that regard.

He said the announcement of the poll date had cleared all doubts and uncertainties surrounding the upcoming general elections.

“The good and big news is that the elections will be held on February 8,” the minister said while talking to a private news channel.

He said the caretaker set-up firmly believed that the elections would be held in time and the people would elect a political government under the constitutional process.

The president, the apex court and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had full consensus on holding the elections in the country, he said, adding the court had monitored the entire process.

He said today’s decision of the Supreme Court should be a source of happiness for everybody since the Constitution clearly dictated that the country would be governed by elected representatives.

The minister said the caretaker government was established in accordance with the Constitution, and it was determined to ensure transparent elections in the country.

“If anyone has any complaints, they can approach the Election Commission,” he added. He said the ECP would provide a level-playing field to all the political parties. Under the Constitution and the law, all the political parties would be given 54 days for the election campaign.

To a query, he said all the political parties were being given due coverage on the state media which did not have any favourite.

He acknowledged the presence of certain elements who wanted uncertainty in the country by spreading fake news and misinformation.

“No one can hold a public meeting in a place that causes inconvenience to the public,” he stressed. “All those who are eligible will participate in the elections,” he said, adding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was a registered political party, and it had every right to participate in the elections.

The caretaker government, he said, had nothing to do with the legal issues of anyone. He ruled out the political affiliation of any member of the caretaker cabinet.