Judicial commission's report has lessons for both PTI, govt: Nisar

Interior minister says Rangers is conducting raids in Karachi as per the mandate given to them

Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar on Saturday said the judicial inquiry commission's report rejecting rigging allegations in 2013 general elections does not depict anyone’s victory or defeat.

“The report has lessons for both PTI and the government that national issues are not resolved on the roads but in Parliament," Nisar said, while addressing a press conference.

The interior minister's statement comes days after a judicial commission released its report rejecting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) allegations of organised rigging during elections.

Read: Inquiry commission's report endorses PML-N's mandate: PM Nawaz

The minister stressed upon the need to focus on positive aspects of the report rather than highlighting its shortcomings.

“There are a multitude of issues relating to  security, economy and geo-political situation and these can only be addressed with the unity of institutions, political parties and the masses,” he said.

Read: PTI struggles to craft a response to judicial commission's findings

Responding to a question regarding Rangers’ operation in Karachi, the minister said the paramilitary force is conducting raids in the metropolis as per the mandate given to them under the law.

However, he admitted that law enforcers in civilian dress cannot arrest people as it is against the law. "Law enforcement agencies should follow the proper procedure," he upheld.

Read: Justice served: Judicial Commission report a victory for truth, says Iftikhar Chaudhry

Earlier, commenting on the report Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had said that the report endorsed government’s point of view on the issue, as well as the mandate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

He also said government was ready to forget what had happened after the elections but it was unfortunate that the country was defamed by making fair and spotless elections disputed.

Parliamentary commission

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif called for the formulation of a parliamentary commission to continue probe of the elections.

Terming the four-month long sit-in staged by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) last year, Shahbaz said that a commission comprising heads of political parties can investigate the objectives and motives behind the protest.

“A probe can ascertain who funded the sit-in and helped stage it,” Shahbaz said adding, “an investigation into the issue should not be left incomplete and should be taken to a logical end.”

He maintained that the sit-in caused a lot of damage to the country, and that action was mandatory against those responsible.