PM rules out ban on social media, internet during polls

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Thursday said all political parties had a level playing field for taking part in the elections, with millions of voters having the opportunity to elect their representatives freely.

In separate interviews with private news channels, he said it was priority of the caretaker government to hold peaceful elections and the Election Commission would be provided every support.

He dismissed the notion of a ban on social media or internet during the elections. He said members of the previous National Assembly used their constitutional right to remove the government of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) through a vote of no-confidence.

During the PTI government, he said, the nation faced numerous economic problems and had difficult times in relations with other countries.
He welcomed the Supreme Court's decision on the intra-party elections of PTI.

Talking about the May 9 incidents, he said cases of some of the persons involved in the incidents would be tried in civil courts and some would undergo trial in military courts. Investigations into the May 9 incidents had been completed to a large extent, he said, adding the culprits would be handed down sentences in the coming months.

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He said Pakistan would need assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the next few years. Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Thursday urged the Al-Jomaih Group of Saudi Arabia to invest in the alternative energy sector of Pakistan.

The prime minister, in a meeting with a four-member delegation, led by the Al-Jomaih Group head Sheikh Abdulaziz Hammad, said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had brotherly ties which were getting further stronger.

The Al-Jomaih Group had made a huge investment in the K- Electric. The prime minister said that Pakistan greatly valued the Saudi investment and welcomed its investment in the energy sector.

He also lauded K-Electric strategy to invest in the alternative energy sector as it would help reduce the power tariff for the benefit of consumers.
The prime minister also voiced hope that K-Electric would further improve its infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted power supply to domestic and industrial consumers.

The Al-Jomaih Group thanked the prime minister and the government team for resolving the longstanding issues faced by the company. Apprising the prime minister of the company’s 1,500 megawatt projects, the delegation informed the prime minister that the projects would feature the usage of local resources and alternative energy.

Federal Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Energy Minister Muhammad Ali and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.