Rights watchdog characterises interim prime minister\u2019s remarks as \u2018anti-democratic and ill-judged\u2019
\nIslamabad
\nThe Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday took \u201cstrong exception\u201d to caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar\u2019s remarks that \u201cfair elections\u201d were possible even without PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other jailed party workers. Imran, who was originally jailed for \u201ccorrupt practices\u201d in the Toshakhana case \u2014 although his conviction has since been suspended \u2014 is currently on judicial remand in the cipher case.
\nIn an interview with The Associated Press over the weekend, the prime minister had said that \u201cfair\u201d polls were possible without Imran and his party leaders, who were jailed as part of a state crackdown in the aftermath of violent riots across the country on May 9.
\nPM Kakar had also stated that thousands of PTI members, who were not a part of \u201cunlawful activities\u201d, \u201cwill be running the political process\u201d and \u201cparticipating in the elections\u201d.
\nThe interim prime minister\u2019s statement came days after the Election Commission of Pakistan finally announced that polls in the country would be held in January next year. Subsequently, major political parties in the country began preparations for elections.
\nDuring the interview, the prime minister had also dismissed the possibility of the military establishment manipulating the election results to ensure the PTI doesn\u2019t win as \u201cabsolutely absurd\u201d.
\nIn a statement issued today, the HRCP reminded the prime minister that courts were yet to establish guilt in the cases against Imran and his party leaders. \u201cMr Kakar\u2019s claims are anti-democratic and ill-judged,\u201d it stated.
\n\u201cThe prime minister should be aware that it is not for him or his government to decide unilaterally what constitutes a \u2018fair\u2019 election,\u201d the commission highlighted.
\nIt noted that the \u201csystematic way in which the PTI leadership has been dismantled \u2014 in the shape of mass arrests and rearrests \u2014 forced disassociation from the party, the disproportionate number of cases filed against political leaders and workers (including in military courts), and curbs on their freedom of expression and assembly \u2014 has not produced a level playing field\u201d.
\nThe HRCP said this was a cause for concern because it perpetuated a \u201cpattern of pre-election manipulation that was also visible in 2018\u201d.
\nThe commission also condemned the treatment meted out to former chief minister and PTI president Parvez Elahi, who has been arrested and rearrested a number of times against the directives of the high court.
\n\u201cHRCP reminds the government that responsibility for ensuring free and fair elections falls on the Election Commission of Pakistan.
\n\u201cThe caretaker government must desist from making irresponsible, partisan statements on matters not within its mandate. Instead, it must ensure that an environment conducive to free, fair, credible and inclusive elections is created and maintained,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rights watchdog characterises interim prime minister\u2019s remarks as \u2018anti-democratic and ill-judged\u2019 Islamabad The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday took \u201cstrong exception\u201d to caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar\u2019s remarks that \u201cfair elections\u201d were possible even without PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other jailed party workers. Imran, who was originally jailed for \u201ccorrupt […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353056,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-358248","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n