Elections to be held on Feb 8 in Pakistan: PM

Davos: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Wednesday reiterated that the general elections will take place in Pakistan on February 8.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC on the sidelines of World Economic Forum in Davos, he said: “This is a constitutional requirement and everyone in the country is committed to that particular date”.

The Prime minister stated that the people of Pakistan will have a choice to exercise their right to vote and they will elect a government for the next five years.

The elections will lead towards a stable government which will translate into economic stability, he added.

When asked about the economic situation, the Prime Minister said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Board has approved our second tranche.

“It has been priority of the caretaker government to bring economic revival and focus on growth and other economic indicators,” further said the premier.

Anwaar-ul-Haq said that they will also publish a white paper on the four to five month's performance of the caretaker government.

‘We did introduce a revamped program within the taxation system. We went for an aggressive privatization spree and cut expenditures at the federal level. We are also engaging with the provinces so that they can also rationalize their spending,’ stated the premier.

Responding to a question, the Caretaker Prime Minister emphasized the need for a regional approach to deal with the challenge of terrorism. We need to enhance the capacity of counter terrorism. Pakistan is a mid-sized power and its actual potential and role needs to be appreciated.

When asked about relations with China, Anwaar-ul-Haq said Pakistan enjoys strategically close relations with Beijing. He added no matter what happens in the region or anywhere else, nothing can affect our relationship with China.