ISLAMABAD, Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Monday said the foreign policy pursued by Pakistan post-January 16 had played a crucial role in de-escalating the tension with Iran.
The minister, in an interview with a Turkish broadcaster, TRT, the minister said that the whole region was concerned by tension between Pakistan and Iran that had significantly been reduced.
He said Pakistan’s leadership had overcome the issue to a greater extent, and lauded the constructive role played by brotherly countries, including Turkiye and China, for defusing the tension.
He said Pakistan greatly valued Turkiye’s goodwill for it and its people. Both countries enjoyed all-weather relations that were a “precious asset of Pakistan”.
The minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which was the only institution entrusted with holding free, fair and transparent elections, had been fulfilling its responsibilities efficiently.
He said the caretaker government, born out of a constitutional process, was performing its duties under a legal cover. It would extend all-out support to the ECP for holding the elections, he added.
To a question, the minister said that it was a political culture that some political parties were airing complaints regarding the level-playing field.
There was no restriction on politics in the country and measures were taken to ensure a level-playing field for political parties, he emphasized.
Solangi said that the caretaker government had no favourites and none of the family members of its ministers was taking part in the elections.
Solangi said at present, the printing of ballot papers was underway while postal ballots were being dispatched, however, a lot remained to be done till the election day.
The minister reiterated the caretaker government’s commitment to hold free and fair elections on February 8, and the ECP would officially announce the election results within two to three days.
The incumbent Speaker of the National Assembly would then convene a meeting of the House within a week or two for swearing in of the newly elected members and election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, he added.
Subsequently, he said, the Leader of the House would be elected and who would then be administered oath by the president.
The caretaker cabinet would be dissolved following the formation of new cabinet by the elected PM, Solangi added.
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