The caretaker prime minister of Pakistan has instructed Sky News there is no such thing as a try and “target a specific party or group” amid claims of pre-poll rigging and candidate harassment.
Speaking on the eve of the election, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar did acknowledge they could not completely assure free and honest elections.
“Absolute is a very relative term and it’s a very subjective term,” he stated.
“What I can assure you is that despite all our shortcomings and flaws which there are in the system, there is no systematic pattern or institutional pattern where we are targeting a specific party or group.”
Mr Kakar stated he was “surprised” on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing concern over the “pattern of harassment” towards members of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan’s social gathering.
Ex-cricketer-turned-politician Mr Khan, founding father of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social gathering and the nation’s former prime minister, stays the preferred politician within the nation, in response to polls.
Days earlier than the vote, he was sentenced to 10 years for leaking state secrets and techniques, 14 for corruption and 7 for an “illegal” marriage. He says the fees are politically motivated.
Mr Kakar stated that the “objective test” would come as we speak and he urged others to not prejudge the election.
Speaking of the “pattern of harassment” recommendations, Mr Kakar stated: “If that is the case, then I will look into it that whether it was an isolated individual case with few or a couple of individuals, or was it a broad-based pattern happening to thousands of the people, millions of the people, then yes, you can come back and accuse us that this is what we have done.”
It comes as individuals have begun casting their ballots within the nation’s highly-charged election – the build-up to which has been marred by violence and claims of fraud.
On the eve of Thursday’s election, bombs struck two political places of work in southwestern Pakistan, killing not less than 30 individuals.
Tens of 1000’s of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at polling stations to make sure safety.
Mobile cellphone providers minimize
Mr Kakar had stated late final evening that he had “no intention” of shutting down web providers.
But this morning his authorities did precisely that, chopping cell phone providers throughout the nation, citing “recent incidents of terrorism in the country”.
Pakistan’s chief election commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja instructed Sky News that “whenever they feel like there is no problem as far as security is concerned, it will be on”.
Some analysts recommend the suspended cell phone providers will have an effect on turnout.
Many within the nation have stated the army is pulling the strings on this election – with Nawaz Sharif being their favoured candidate.
Mr Kakar stated: “This criticism of the military on influencing the political process is not something modern and new to the election of 2024.”
Explained:
The issues going through Pakistan as voters go to the polls
Many additionally imagine the army had a hand within the appointment of Mr Kakar himself
“They [the military] have a view on everything,” he stated, “but they are not directly influencing the democratic process and the political process of this country”.
The subsequent 48 hours might be essential in figuring out individuals’s religion in that declare.
Source: information.sky.com”