Solangi reaffirms govt’s commitment to foster positive ties with all political parties

Islamabad: Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Monday reiterated the caretaker government’s commitment to fostering positive relationships with all political parties.

The minister, in a television interview, stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was a duly registered political party and there was restriction on its participation in the electoral process. He underlined that there was no discord among political stakeholders, as the current situation is notably favorable, with no visible signs of apprehension.

 The caretaker government’s primary objective was to ensure that the general election results were accepted by all the quarters concerned. Solangi stressed that the ultimate choice of supporting a certain political party rested with the people.

The incumbent government’s focus was on how to hold impartial, fair and transparent elections and the Election Commission of Pakistan’s role in that regard would also be crucial, he added. The minister said as the elections were being held according to the latest census data then the ECP was constitutionally authorized to fix the polling date.

Regarding the constituency delimitation process, Solangi said the ECP had published the schedule in that regard. Once the delimitation process completed, then the political parties would have 54 days to conduct their election campaigns, he added.

He expressed the caretaker government’s commitment to work closely with the Election Commission for creating a conducive atmosphere for political activities. It was their goal to leave the country in a better state for the next elected government, he added.

The caretaker government would hand over the reigns to the people’s elected representatives and there should be no ambiguity in that regard, he remarked. Solangi said the caretaker government was operating within the bounds of the law and the Constitution. “The concept of a caretaker setup is enshrined in parliamentary procedures, and its tenure is defined by constitutional regulations and bodies.” Regarding Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his political party, the minister said in a democratic framework, the political parties and their leaders had the right to express their opinions freely.

To a question, Solangi said the caretaker law minister’s meeting with the president was the part of his official duties. The last government had made amendments in the Election Act, empowering the caretaker setup to take certain significant decisions such as enforcing international agreements and obligations, he added.