ISLAMABAD - President Dr Arif Alvi has conveyed to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, the concerns of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on the alleged erosion of fundamental rights and level playing field for all political parties. He also forwarded a letter addressed to him by General Secretary of PTI Omar Ayub Khan to the PM containing the concerns of the party.
In his letter sent to the PM yesterday, the president stated that it was of utmost importance that the caretaker government under the prime minister’s leadership make efforts as a neutral entity to provide a level playing field for all political parties. “In this context, it was reassuring to hear your recent statements whereby you stated that it was the caretaker government’s policy that all registered political parties should have equal rights and opportunities to contest the forthcoming elections”, he wrote. The President further highlighted that democracy was the only viable way forward for the State and people of Pakistan, the essence of which lied in giving people the right to partake in political activities and to be able to voice their opinions through a free media. He remarked that there was a resonance in Pakistan that for free, fair and credible elections, all political parties and leaders had a right to contest and it was up to the people to decide. Omar Ayub Khan had conveyed his party’s concern, through a letter, on the alleged erosion of fundamental rights, with particular reference to enforced disappearances, forced conversions of political loyalties, absence of level playing field for major political parties, crackdown on media and mistreatment of female political activists through prolonged illegal detentions. In his letter, Alvi said that the President of Pakistan represented the unity of the Republic as Head of State under Article 41 of the Constitution of Pakistan and was, therefore, duty bound along with the Prime Minister and all institutions to protect the rights of the citizens, as enshrined in the Constitution.