Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi has said that Nawaz Sharif is a leader of a major political party and he did not flee the country illegally, state-run wire service APP reported.
The elder Sharif’s return to Pakistan has nothing to do with the caretaker government, stated the minister during an interview to a private news broadcaster.
Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is set to return on October 21, after almost 4 years he left for London on medical grounds while serving his seven-year jail term.
During the interview, Solangi said it was not the mandate and responsibility of caretaker government to give date for general election in the country.
“The Election Commission of Pakistan ( ECP) is an autonomous constitutional institution…I have full faith and confidence in the capability and leadership of the ECP,” the interim minister said.
ECP, govt bound to ensure elections within stipulated period of time: PTI
“We are going through the phase of election and during the environment of election, any party and its leadership has the freedom to give their stand on any important issue”, he maintained.
The interim government and the electoral watchdog would ensure equal opportunities for all political parties in the upcoming elections, Solangi said. “There is no ban on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a political party.”
Replying to a question, he said the process of privatisation was not initiated by caretaker government, but previous parliament and its elected government decided to privatise various entities.
“We are bound to implement decisions of the previous parliament and the previous government,” Solangi opined. He also stressed need for reformation in the institutions.
Answering another question, the minister said public broadcasters are considered essential services, and as they are institutions of compulsory national service, they are supported by the state worldwide, he maintained.
However, he added, public broadcasters should not have such people who do not belong to today’s modern broadcasting mechanisms.
When asked about fundamental changes in national broadcasters, he said making such decisions was not included in the mandate of the caretaker government.
Regarding the November 1 deadline given for deportation of illegal immigrants living in Pakistan, he said, “Those who lecture Pakistan on human rights should check their own record on human rights.”
No other country in the world has hosted as many refugees during past over four decades as Pakistan has done, the interim minister stated.
He was of the view that countries could not survive with soft borders with anybody entering in its territory without documentation and living freely and prepare fake passports and identity cards.
The minister reiterated that people residing illegally in the country should voluntarily leave the country by October 31.
“After October 31, such illegal foreigners will be forcibly evicted from the country. Our aim is to defend our state and our citizens,” he remarked.
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