IN an interview, Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar has spoken his mind on important issues agitating the minds of the people including power to announce the date for the general election, 9 May violence, energy crisis and ties with India. The PM categorically stated that it is prerogative of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the polls date but added that his Government would accept the verdict of the superior courts if the issue was taken to and decided by the judiciary. About inflated power bills, he said, the Government’s financial and power teams were looking into the “nitty gritty” of the issue to recommend short-term solutions in a manner so that the government did not have to roll them back later on.
The views of the Prime Minister on elections reflect what has already been explained by the Ministry of Law and Justice in response to a query by the President. He also gave a categorical assurance that the caretaker set up will not extend its term unconstitutionally adding that it is an order of a constitutional continuation. This augurs well in the backdrop of consistent rumours and speculations that the tenure of the interim government might be extended, creating confusion about the possibility of the timely elections. Uncertainty on this account would hopefully be over when the ECP announces the election schedule. As for the woes of the people vis-à-vis inflated electricity bills, the Prime Minister has taken refuge behind the IMF accord citing it as a hurdle in the way of provision of any meaningful relief to the consumers. However, the IMF made it known time and again that it has no problem with the grant of relief to the downtrodden segments of the society. It is not a one time phenomenon and the Government will have to find a solution as people simply cannot afford to spare resources to pay exorbitant bills. In reference to May 09 incidents, the PM agreed with the idea of holding military trials for those who attack military installations and personnel. He pointed out that the episode was “an attempt towards mutiny and civil war whose target and nucleus was the army chief, those around him and his team.” This makes it abundantly clear that there would be no leniency towards those who attacked and maligned institutions.
