Govt keen to hold fair, free elections: interior minister

QUETTA: Caretaker Interior Minister Dr Gohar Ejaz on Thursday, reiterating the government’s resolve, said that the caretaker government was determined to hold fair, free and peaceful elections in the country.

“All resources will be provided to the provincial government for holding transparent and peaceful elections,” he said while addressing a consultative meeting held at the Secretariat to review the overall law and order situation and arrangements of the provincial government for the upcoming general elections.

The interior minister expressed his satisfaction over the preparations and best strategy of the provincial government for holding peaceful and successful elections in Balochistan, the official news agency reported.

Caretaker Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Mir Zubair Jamali, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakil Qadir, Additional Chief Secretary Home Balochistan Zahird Saleem, Commissioner Quetta Hamza Shafkat and officers of the law enforcement agencies attended the meeting.

Additional Chief Secretary Home Zahid Saleem gave a detailed briefing on the overall situation of the law and order in the province and arrangements for holding the elections in the province.

The interior minister said that the caretaker government was committed to complete the election process by using all available resources and leaving no stone unturned in that regard.

The federal government was striving hard to provide the provincial governments with necessary equipment, latest gadgets and other resources to ensure safety of lives of the voters and candidates, he added.

Lauding the efforts made by the Balochistan government for maintaining peace and holding general elections, the minister said provincial government had chalked out a comprehensive strategy for the successful conduct of the election process.

The minister said that elements hostile to peace would not be allowed to take the law into their hands.

Dr Gohar said that there was a dire need for devising a long-term integrated strategy for sustainable peace in the province, adding that formation of a better strategy for maintaining law and order in the province could prevent young minds from falling into the wrong hands.

The government was taking all steps to eliminate poverty and provision of better opportunities for dignified employment for prosperity of the province, he added.

The interior minister pointed out that he was reviewing the election preparations in all the provinces on the special instructions of Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.