The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday took “strong exception” to a recent statement of interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar in which he had said the participation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was not required for free and fair elections.
“Given that the courts have yet to establish guilt in all such cases, Mr. Kakar’s claims are anti-democratic and ill judged,” it said, referring to various cases filed against PTI leaders and workers in the aftermath of the May 9 riots, which are still pending trial.
“The prime minister should be aware that it is not for him or his government to decide unilaterally what constitutes a ‘fair’ election,” read the statement, signed by HRCP Chairperson Hina Jilani. “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,” it continued, stressing this was concerning as it perpetuated a pattern of pre-election manipulation last seen in 2018.
“HRCP also condemns the treatment meted out to former [Punjab] chief minister and PTI President Parvez Elahi, who was rearrested against the directive of the Lahore High Court,” it added.
“HRCP reminds the government that responsibility for ensuring free and fair elections falls to the Election Commission of Pakistan. The caretaker government must desist from making irresponsible, partisan statements on matters not within its mandate. Instead, it must ensure that an environment conducive to free, fair, credible and inclusive elections is created and maintained,” it said.
Last week, during an interview with the Associated Press on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly summit in New York, Kakar had said “free and fair” elections could take place without the PTI chief or hundreds of PTI workers who “are jailed because they engaged in unlawful activities including vandalism and arson.” However, he had added, the thousands of PTI activists “who did not engage in unlawful activities” could still participate in the polls.