The caretaker government on Tuesday said under the constitution and prevalent electoral laws, all political parties had the equal right to participate in the general elections and categorically stated that the remarks of the caretaker prime minister during a recent interview to the Associated Press had been “misunderstood and misreported”.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in its official statement issued the original text from the Associated Press to clarify that Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was plain speaking to suggest that whereas participating in the elections was a right, but retribution for crimes was legally warranted.
The ministry lamented that the interview had been “twisted by some outlets” to give the impression that someone will not be allowed to take part in the general elections.
The ministry drew attention to the following text of Prime Minister’s interview:
“We are not pursuing anyone on a personal vendetta,” Kakar said. “But yes, we will ensure that the law is appropriate. Anyone, be it Imran Khan or any other politician who violates, in terms of their political behaviour, the laws of the country, then the restoration of the law has to be ensured. We cannot equate that with … political discrimination.”
