Caretakers must not rule or become party: Babar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Dr Babar Awan has asked the interim government to restrict themselves to their restricted constitutional role and desist from becoming a party to political campaigns.

Talking to the media outside the Supreme Court, he alleged the way a caretaker minister defended the electricity crisis, it appeared as if Shahbaz Sharif was speaking.

He charged that in every district of Punjab, the PML-N backed the top administration, is conducting the affairs of the government and he wondered how could they hold free and fair elections. He claimed that the Nadra chairman was appointed on purpose, and under him, sensitive information was being leaked to the PML-N." Awan further charged that an election cell has been established in a civilian intelligence agency and its objective is to influence the election, but the people would foil all such plans.

Meanwhile, the PTI moved the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for replacement of all the federal and provincial interior secretaries as well as Nadra chairman for ensuring free, fair and impartial elections. PTI Information Secretary Fawad Chaudhry wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza, calling for the replacement of federal and provincial interior secretaries and Nadra chairman to conduct impartial elections.

Fawad maintained that the “PTI welcomes the transfers of chief secretaries and inspector generals of four provinces, however, these transfers aren’t enough to guarantee fair elections”. He urged the ECP to take action for immediate transfers of federal and provincial home secretaries and appoint officers of good repute, experience at the earnest. Fawad also urged the ECP to take notice of the leakage of sensitive information from Nadra. The PTI information secretary called on the ECP to take measures to remove Nadra chairman as well.

“It is the responsibility of ECP to expose the critical nexus between the former government and heads of some government institutions,” he emphasised. He contended that holding fair, free and transparent elections is the constitutional responsibility of the ECP and insisted on taking effective measures and arrangements prior to the conduct of elections, enabling people to elect their true representatives. “Without purging the administrative, judicial and institutional systems of the scum introduced by PML-N, fair and transparent elections are not possible,” Fawad cautioned.