We could afford delay, but terrorist attacks, we could not: Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar says
\nIslamabad
\nCaretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said Monday defended the delay in election results, noting that mobile services were disrupted \u2014 which hampered the gathering of votes \u2014 due to security threats.
\n\u201cWe could afford delay, but terrorist attacks, we could not […] delay does not mean rigging,\u201d Kakar, whose government was appointed to oversee the country through elections until an elected set-up takes charge, said during a post-election press conference.
\nPolitical parties \u2014 including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose candidates contested as independents, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) \u2014 had deplored the delay in the results of the election, claiming that it was tantamount to rigging.
\nThe complete election results \u2014 despite the passing of more than three days \u2014 are still awaited as the total vote count from 264 constituencies is in, but one seat remains. Amid the delay, PTI, JI, and JUI-F held countrywide elections, with the former two warning of more demonstrations.
\nKakar, recalling instances of election results\u2019 delays in Sweden and Indonesia, wondered whether their polls were \u201crigged\u201d. \u201cWe are a country of 240 million with 92,000 polling stations […] this entire process had to consume some time, which should and can be explained.\u201d
\nThe prime minister informed the journalists that in 2018, the entire result-gathering process took 66 hours; however, in 2024, it was completed in 36 hours \u2014 however, the official Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deadline was around nine hours.
\n\u2018PTI\u2019s demand more imp than EU, US, UK\u2019
\nMoving on to the allegations of foreign governments, who deplored the disruption in connectivity and the events that transpired in the lead-up to electrons, Kakar said they would be probed if need be.
\n\u201cThese friendly countries, unfortunately, frame their initial assessment on the fabricated and fractured information available on social media and the digital space.\u201d
\n\u201cA responsible government should take time and then have a position; that would have been better. If we have to investigate, we will not do it on the demand of the United States, United Kingdom, or the EU.\u201d
\nKakar noted that Pakistan has its law and will deal with it accordingly. \u201cWe did not ask a judicial inquiry on Capitol Hill riots. It is not for us to demand it and it is not for them. For me, the demand of a PTI individual than the US, UK, and EU combined.\u201d
\nThe premier noted that these nations have their own issues in elections, but that\u2019s not for Pakistan to comment on, and neither should these countries issue statements on Islamabad\u2019s domestic affairs.
\n\u2018Irregularities might have happened\u2019
\nAmid the nationwide protests by different political parties and large-scale criticism of the ECP over the alleged \u201cmassive rigging\u201d and \u201cresults tempering\u201d, the premier said: \u201cIrregularities might have happened but there are certain forums [to lodge complaints about it].\u201d
\nPeaceful protest is people\u2019s democratic right, he said, and warned of action against those involved in violence.
\nTo a question, PM Kakar said that the upcoming elected parliament would decide about the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the elections. \u201cThere should be an open discussion on EVMS.\u201d Two days back, expressing his annoyance over the delayed election results, President Dr Arif Alvi had said that the country would have been spared the ongoing crisis if the EVMs had been used during the February 8 general elections.
\nIt is pertinent to mention here that the ECP\u2019s new Election Management System (EMS) fell flat despite the commission\u2019s tall claims.
\nTaking to his X handle, the president had said: \u201cHad EVMs been there today, my dear beloved Pakistan would have been spared this crisis.\u201d
\nPTI wants to get 336 seats in the House
\nThe premier said that PTI wanted to get 336 seats in the house, which he couldn\u2019t do. PM Kakar claimed that a level-playing field was provided to all the political parties, including the PTI.
\n\u201cIf a level-playing field was denied to the PTI, then how did such a large number of their supporters reach the NA,\u201d wondered PM Kakar.
\n\u201cWhich kind of level playing filed were they expecting?\u201d Referring to the countrywide protests, the premier asked: \u201cCould I postpone the election as an individual?\u201d He maintained that what could he do when they did not the election results despite the deployment of army troops across the country during the elections?
\n\u201cWe have to end hatred and respect each other,\u201d the premier said. \u201cIt is my desire that we take steps towards a healthy Pakistan.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We could afford delay, but terrorist attacks, we could not: Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar says Islamabad Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said Monday defended the delay in election results, noting that mobile services were disrupted \u2014 which hampered the gathering of votes \u2014 due to security threats. \u201cWe could afford delay, but terrorist attacks, we could not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":386684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-386667","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n