Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Friday called for the formation of an alliance to check India’s “rogue behaviour” following the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada that Ottawa accuses New Delhi of committing.
He said that the gruesome murder of the Khalistan Movement Sikh leader in Canada had jolted the West and raised serious questions about the role of the Indian state.
Speaking to the media at the Pakistan Mission in New York, the prime minister said Pakistan had been a victim of such state-sponsored terrorism and shared evidence of the ‘Pakistan centric’ effort at different global and multilateral fora highlighting New Delhi’s role in such incidents.
He further said countries are now realising how India was persecuting its minorities like Christians, Sikhs and Muslims.
To a question, Kakar said that he also held meetings with different business bodies in the US that showed interest in Pakistan’s economic revival plans.
The interim prime minister, terming his discussion with IMF’s managing director constructive, added that she hoped that the upcoming mandated government would carry on the economic plan.
“The IMF was very appreciative of the interim government’s steps over the illegal trade of dollars,” he added. “IMF did not demand anything, rather the caretaker government was giving them confidence and would abide by the agreements,” he said, adding that the upcoming elected government would further negotiate with the IMF according to their manifesto.
To another query, he said that the caretaker government had conducted administrative intervention against the sugar and wheat mafias with effective measures.
There was no dearth of these commodities in the country as different edible items were readily available, he said, adding, however, prices of certain commodities were linked with the international market.
About Afghanistan, the prime minister said that they had multifaceted engagements with the Afghan interim government and hoped the outcome of these engagements would be beneficial for the two countries.
Kakar further said that Pakistan would take all steps to protect its territory and people whenever any need arose and Islamabad respected the territorial sovereignty and integrity of Afghanistan.
About Pak-US ties, the premier said that they had very constructive historical ties which would be further strengthened and the Pakistani diaspora was contributing in the US and playing their role in community building.
The prime minister stressed that Pakistan had an exclusive identity and it should be seen through the prism of it rather than any regional or other contexts. About his meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, PM Kakar elaborated that they had discussed mutual priorities and held beneficial negotiations.
The prime minister further stated that the state of Pakistan effectively responded to the Jaranwala incident. Contrarily, the Indian state acted as a spectator rather accomplice in the Manipur violence in which hundreds of people were killed.
PM Kakar said he as well as the current chief justice of Pakistan visited Jaranwala and tried to mitigate the situation. “The army chief also took a public position on the issue.”
Answering a question, he said the Election Commission of Pakistan was mandated to hold the general elections and the final date would be announced soon. Kakar added that all registered political parties had the right to take part in the poll as the ECP did not ban any party from the process.
Rubbishing the notion of victimisation, the prime minister said anyone involved in violence against the state would be dealt with under the law of the land as Pakistan was a sovereign state.
The interim premier also said Pakistan wanted constructive engagement with Russia and both countries had immense potential for enhanced economic cooperation. However, he said Pakistan did not favour a military solution to any conflict and instead advocated dialogue for settlement.
Kakar said that the persecution of Muslims being carried out in IIOJK was aptly described as “genocide” which he also mentioned in his address at the UNGA. He said thousands of Kashmiris had been killed and women were raped, besides the extrajudicial killing of the innocent Kashmiris.
To another question, he said of around 5 million refugees in Pakistan, around 2.8 million were legal and the rest were without any legal document. Therefore, the government had decided to repatriate them and administrative intervention was being made for the purpose.
The prime minister rubbished the notion of Pakistan being isolated on the world stage and said during his interactions with the world leaders, that they had found growing interest in the world for Pakistan.
He also highlighted his engagements on the sidelines of the UNGA session. Terming it as a first-of-its-kind event after World War I, Kakar said an Asian country staged a murder on Canadian soil and its impacts were being felt across the Western countries who now realised how India was persecuting its minorities like Christians, Sikhs, and Muslims.
To another query, he said the caretaker government had conducted an administrative intervention against the sugar and wheat mafias with effective measures. In the wake of the allegations of human rights violations in the country, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq firmly asserted that Pakistan is not accountable to any government or congressman.
The premier’s remarks came in response to a question posed by a journalist during a press conference — following his speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly session — asking him about the engagements of Pakistanis in the United States with congressmen in relation to the human rights abuses and arrests in Pakistan.
“We are not accountable to any government; we are not accountable to any congressman — absolutely not!” PM Kakar said, further highlighting the robust bond between Pakistan and the US.
He was also questioned about the recent arrests, particularly those of women, which came in the wake of the crackdown against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf fter its Chairman Imran Khan’s party members and supporters violently reacted to his arrest in May this year.
The prime minister said the country’s laws are impartial, not favouring any gender, and apply to all citizens equally.—APP/Agencies
