Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was very supportive of caretaker government’s crackdown on the illegal trade of dollars, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing a news conference at the Pakistan Mission in New York on Friday, Prime Minister Kakar said the IMF did not did not demand anything, rather the caretaker government was giving them a confidence and would abide by the agreements.
The upcoming elected government would further negotiate with the IMF according to their manifesto, he added.
He also termed his discussion with the IMF Managing Director very constructive , adding she hoped that the upcoming mandated government would carry on the economic plan.
Responding to a question about PML-N Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan next month, Kakar said the law will be following regarding Nawaz Sharif’s case. “The government will deal with lawbreakers with iron hand,” he added.
About Sikh leader’s murder by the Indian government in Canada, Kakar said the gruesome murder of Khalistan Movement Sikh leader in Canada had jolted the West that raised serious questions about the role of Indian state.
The prime minister said that Pakistan had been a victim of such state-sponsored terrorism and shared evidences of ‘Pakistan centric’ at different global and multilateral fora about the role of Indian state.
Kakar said it might be the first of its kind event probably after the First World War that an Asian country staged a physical murder on the European soil and its impacts were being felt across the western countries who now realized how India was persecuting its minorities like Christians, Sikhs and Muslims.
The prime minister opined that an alliance should be formed to check such ‘rough behaviour’ of India.
To another question, he said he also held meetings with different business bodies in the US that showed interest in the economic revival plans in Pakistan, including privatization and SIFC.
To a query, Kakar said that the caretaker government had conducted administrative intervention against the sugar and wheat mafias with effective measures. There was no dearth of these commodities in the country as different edible items were readily available, he said, adding however, prices of certain commodities were linked with the international prices.
The prime minister said that the caretaker government was striving to provide relief to the masses.
About Afghanistan, Kakar said they had multifaceted engagements with the Afghan interim government and hoped the outcome of these engagements would be beneficial for the two countries.
Responding to a question, he said Pakistan would take all steps to protect its territory and people whenever any need arose. He further said that Pakistan respected the territorial sovereignty and integrity of Afghanistan.
About Pakistan-US relations, the prime minister said that they had very constructive historic ties which would be further strengthened. The Pakistani diaspora was contributing in the US and playing their role in the community building, he added.
Kakar stressed that Pakistan had an exclusive identity and it should be seen through the prism of it rather than any other regional or other contexts.
About his meeting with the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, PM Kakar said that they had discussed the mutual priorities and held beneficial negotiations.
Kakar said that state of Pakistan effectively responded to the Jaranwala incident. Contrarily, the Indian state acted as a spectator rather an accomplice in the Manipur violence in which hundreds of people were killed.
Kakar said he as well as the current Chief Justice of Pakistan visited Jaranwala and tried to mitigate the situation. The Army Chief also took a public position on the issue, he added.
To a question, the prime minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan was mandated to hold the general elections and the final date would be announced soon.
He said all the registered political parties had the right to take part in the polls as the ECP did not ban any party from the process. He assured that the caretaker government would carry out fair treatment to all the political parties.
Rubbishing the notion of any victimisation, Kakar said anyone involved in the violence against the state would be dealt under the law of the land as Pakistan was a sovereign state.
He said Pakistan wanted constructive engagement with Russia and both the countries had immense potential of enhanced economic cooperation. However, he said Pakistan did not favour military solution to any conflict and instead advocated dialogue for settlement.
Prime Minister Kakar said that persecution of Muslims being carried out in IIOJK was aptly described as “genocide” which he also mentioned in his address at the UN General Assembly. He said thousands of Kashmiris had been killed and women were raped, besides the extrajudicial killing of the innocent Kashmiris.
To another question, Kakar said around five million refugees are in Pakistan – around 2.8 million were legal and rest were without any legal document. Therefore, the government had decided to repatriate them and administrative intervention was being made for the purpose, he added.
Kakar rubbished the notion of isolated Pakistan and said during his interactions with the world leaders they had found growing interest of the world in Pakistan.
The prime minister also highlighted his engagements on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
At the #UNGA78 today, I reaffirmed 🇵🇰’s unwavering stance on Kashmir. Kashmiri people deserve their promised—but denied—right to a self-determination plebiscite. It's time for an end to oppression. Let the voices of Kashmiris be heard and their wishes respected. pic.twitter.com/KzzgVqEFZv
— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) September 22, 2023