PM Kakar optimistic about stability after elections

DAVOS: Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Wednesday expressed confidence that a stable government will be formed after the forthcoming general elections, scheduled for February 8, leading to sustainable economic stability in the country.

“I do see and project that there will be a great growth in Pakistan. There will be a sense of stability. The growth will be slow but it will be sustainable,” the prime minister said in an interview with CNBC on the sidelines of the 54^th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

PM Kakar maintained that the speculations regarding holding of the elections had been addressed and everyone was certain about the February 8 election date, the official news agency reported.

He said it was the top priority of the caretaker setup to bring economic revival and to focus on the growth and other economic indicators. He said the next government had to follow a clear principle of spending less and earning more to achieve the economic stability.

“We need to bring back the non-documented economy into documented economy and transform our state to a more viable economic entity,” he added.

He highlighted that the caretaker government would publish a white paper on its 4-5 months’ performance. “We did introduce and revamp the programme within the taxation system, we brought structural changes that would be passed through the cabinet formerly by the end of the month, after that it would be in place as a policy.”

Further, he said, the caretaker government went for aggressive privatisation, it cut its expenditures at the federal level and it was also trying to talk to provinces so they could rationalise their spending.

As regards delay in elections, PM Kakar said the country faced legal and technical challenges related to the electoral procedures and processes. However, he said those challenges had been addressed now and the people of Pakistan would be given the opportunity to exercise their constitutional role of electing the leadership for the next five years.

To a question about former PTI chairman Imran Khan, PM Kakar said he was not in jail because of his political opinion but due to his alleged role in committing riots and encouraging his followers towards disruption.

He said the people who had been involved in the riots were behind the bars. “It is not that the innocent people have been picked up for their political opinions and they have been denied a political role.”

The prime minister pointed out that the former PTI chairman had all rights to say that he was jailed because of his political opinion but let the court decide the issue. He said the matter would not be decided by any individual, media or any other group but the courts would address all these issues.

To a question of free and fair elections, PM Kakar said before holding of elections, no one can question the fairness of the process. “Let the elections happen as there will be international observers, the international media and other watchdogs to report whether the elections are held in free and fair manner or not.”

As regards the media independence in Pakistan, the prime minister said even the Western media was under more stricter regulations that in Pakistan.

With respect to the regional issues, he said Pakistan did foresee that there would be implications for the country after the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from Afghanistan and that was why Pakistan was advocating for a responsible withdraw.

The focus of the world powers was no more Afghanistan now as it was an abundant project for them. “But for us it had a real time tangible implications, particularly when the gadgets which were given to the Afghan republic army were sold in the black market. He feared that it would also have implications in the larger Middle East.

The prime minister said Pakistan needed to enhance its capacity of counter terrorism. “We also need to encourage that Pakistan can become a viable economic entity and a viable democracy at the same time.”

He said Pakistan also needed that its role should be acknowledged and appreciated.

To a question about Pakistan’s relations with China, the prime minister said the two countries had very close relations — both strategically and historically.

He said the bilateral relations with China will not be affected no matter what happens in the region.