Pakistan's caretaker premier comes under fire for his election remarks

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has found himself at the center of a controversy triggered by his remarks that "fair elections" are possible even without the country's jailed former premier and his incarcerated supporters.

In an interview during his visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly session last week, Kakar said fair polls are possible without Imran Khan, who, along with several other party leaders, has been languishing in jail following a widespread crackdown since May this year.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday took "strong exception" to Kakar's remarks, reminding him that courts have yet to establish guilt in the cases against Khan and other leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

“Mr. Kakar’s claims are anti-democratic and ill-judged,” the rights body said in a statement.

The prime minister, it added, should be aware that it is not for him or his government to decide unilaterally what constitutes a “fair” election.

Kakar also said thousands of PTI members who were not involved in “unlawful activities,” will be running the political process and participating in the elections.

His remarks came just days after the country's poll oversight body, the Election Commission of Pakistan, announced that general elections to elect a new government will be held in the last week of January next year, without specifying an exact date.

“The systematic way in which the PTI leadership has been dismantled — in the shape of mass arrests and rearrests — forced disassociation from the party, the disproportionate number of cases filed against political leaders and workers (including in military courts), and curbs on their freedom of expression and assembly — has not produced a level playing field," the HRCP added.

The caretaker government must desist from making irresponsible, partisan statements on matters outside of its mandate. “Instead, it must ensure that an environment conducive to free, fair, credible and inclusive elections is created and maintained,” it added.

The PTI has already dismissed Kakar's remarks.

Political tensions have gripped following violent protests broke out in major cities and towns across the country over Khan’s arrest on May 9 in connection with a case involving the purchase of a state gift and its subsequent sale in the open market.

To halt violent protests and attacks on military installations across the country, police launched a nationwide crackdown on PTI workers, arresting thousands.

Last month, Khan was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison in the state gift case. His conviction was later overturned, but he remains incarcerated in a case involving the disclosure of state secrets.