PM already consulting on interim set-up, says Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said the government and opposition have begun the process of consultations on the caretaker set-up, expressing the hope that a consensus would be reached on best possible names.

“I hope that the opposition will agree on the best possible names for the caretaker government having strong and unwavering democratic credentials which can also ensure timely general elections,” said Ahsan Iqbal while talking to newsmen at a regional conference.

The minister told newsmen that the prime minister and the leader of opposition have initiated a consultation process regarding the caretaker set-up. As differences between Chaudhry Nisar and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) continue to grow, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the former’s future role will be decided by the party. “Issues pertaining to the party are resolved internally and the future of Nisar will also be decided by the PML-N,” he said.

To a question, the minister said that the decision regarding putting the names of persons on Exit Control List (ECL) is taken by the cabinet. “We have sent around 600 such cases to cabinet which has the authority to accord approval in this regard,” he said. He said the Ministry of Interior takes decisions as per law and Constitution and it had no authority to decide the ECL cases.

Addressing the conference, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs) would benefit from platform and infrastructure being constructed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The minister said two more corridors would also be completed during the next few years based on CPEC connecting Pakistan, China and Central Asia. One corridor would link Peshawar with Kabul and Tajikistan and the other will connect Quetta with Herat and Turkmenistan. He said these corridors would not only provide connectivity to the Central Asia but also extend it upto the Russian Federation.

Ahsan Iqbal said the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation programme would also be a gamechanger as it would create connectivity of the region with Asia, Europe and Africa. He pointed out that CASA-1000 will create a platform for electricity transmission within the region from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan and added TAPI would also be completed soon.

The minister announced establishment of a Central Asian University in Pakistan to promote regional cooperation. Ahsan Iqbal said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has turned the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and China into a strong economic bond.

Highlighting various features of the mammoth project, the minister said developments in energy and infrastructure will change landscape of Pakistan.