Pakistan’s caretaker government appears to favor Imran Khan’s enemies: election commission

ISLAMABAD, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Pakistan’s election commission has questioned the neutrality of the country’s interim government charged with holding national elections, saying it appears to be aligned with opponents of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He transitional governmentwho took power last month on the fifth anniversary of parliament, aims to ensure fairness in the run-up to elections, but the continued imprisonment of Khan and prohibition to participate in the elections has raised concerns.

“There is a general perception that the incumbent government is a continuation of the previous government,” said a letter seen by Reuters written by the Election Commission to the office of acting Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq. Season.

Kakar, whose party was an ally in the outgoing anti-Khan coalition government, replaced Shehbaz Sharif, who comes from Khan’s biggest rival party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which with the alliance of almost a dozen matches were eliminated. Khan of power.

The letter, dated Wednesday, is a rare official rebuke of the government. Election results are rarely accepted across the board in Pakistan and perceptions of bias could further cloud the credibility of the process.

An almost certain delay in national elections, scheduled for November, has stoked more political uncertainty amid the worst economic crisis in the nation of 241 million people.

No date for the vote has been given so far and analysts fear that the interim government led by Kakar, who hails from a pro-military political party, could stay in power for a longer period.

Acting Information Minister Murtaza Solangi dispelled the suggestion of bias.

“We have no favorite horses in this race,” he told Reuters in a message on Thursday, saying his government will help the commission provide a level playing field for all parties.

When asked about the commission’s suggestions, he said: “The Prime Minister and I have not uttered a word against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and Imran Khan after assuming our new role.”

Election Commission spokesman Haroon Khan did not respond.

The letter came just hours after Kakar added a longtime loyalist of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Khan’s main opponent, to his cabinet. He said “due care” must be taken to prevent people of “known political allegiance” from being added to the government.

The cabinet also includes other loyalists to Sharif’s party and its allies, as well as vocal critics of Khan, some of whom say they were victims during his rule from 2018 to 2022.

Khan, overthrown in April 2022 in a vote of confidence in parliament, blames the military for his dismissal after He fell with the generals, who mostly decide who will govern.

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