ECP hasn’t placed any restrictions on PTI, says PM Kakar

LAHORE: Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Tuesday asserted that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has not placed any restrictions on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), rejecting the notion of dismantling it as a political party, ARY News reported.

During an interaction with journalists in a visit to Mayo Hospital, the prime minister said neither the ECP had placed any restrictions on PTI nor there was any move to dismantle it as a political party.

PM Kakar clarified that the caretaker set up would not commit any illegal and unconstitutional acts. He added that they did not see any hindrance to the political activities in the country.

The caretaker PM further elaborated that it was the government’s policy that all the big and small registered political parties had the equal rights and opportunities to contest the upcoming polls.

“Those who were raising apprehensions over provision of level playing field also have the freedom to make such claims”, he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that ECP – in its verdict in PTI prohibited funding case – ruled that the party received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and from 34 foreign nationals.

Responding to a question regarding Palestine issue, PM Kakar said that Pakistan was persistently raising the Palestine issue at the global fora and the recent horrible, condemnable and inappropriate aggression by Israel was leading to human catastrophe in Gaza.

The prime minister said that recently Pakistan co-hosted the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC) emergency session along with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the issue.

Kakar said that during his interactions with different global leaders, Chinese leadership and the international media, he had highlighted the issue and in unequivocal terms, conveyed sentiments and stance of the government and Pakistani nation.

Pakistan would continue playing its role over the issue till its resolution, he reassured. Considering the current crises, he said Pakistan demanded immediate ceasefire and opening of humanitarian corridor.

To a question, he reiterated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was a constitutional body that would give a specific date for holding of general elections in the country.

He said the delimitation process was a constitutional requirement and the previous parliament had legislated over the issue while the constitution mandated the procedure to be executed.

The prime minister assured that the interim set up was ready to assist ECP in the process, adding that it was the fundamental mandate of ECP to give a date but the caretaker government could not dictate it in this regard.

To a query regarding repatriation of the illegal migrants, the prime minister said they had categorized the illegal aliens into three.

There were around 1.7 million registered refugees over whom the government was fulfilling its international obligations, but there were the foreigners who without any documentation, had been living in Pakistan for years and doing business, he said, adding these were the people who had not been visible in their system.

He said that there was no perpetual ban on these foreigners, as they could return after completing their valid and legal travel documents and visas. They could come to Pakistan for seeking education or doing businesses and the government would facilitate them.

While the third category fell in the Identity theft and over whom they had devised a mechanism to remove them from the database, he added. The prime minister emphasized that the government was focusing on the regulated movement.