ISLAMABAD   -  Caretaker Prime Min­ister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Thursday said all the 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 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. He said Pakistan would need assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the next few years. PM Kakar said if the Tehreek-e-Tal­iban Pakistan (TTP) laid down arms unconditional­ly then talks could be held with them. Otherwise, the State was ready to fight with the terrorist outfit for the next 100 years, he added. He said he was tak­en aback at the attack carried out by Iran on the Pa­kistani soil. “The attack by Iran on Pakistan was a mistake,” he said, adding Pakistan did not have any border dispute with the neighbour and both sides wanted to reduce tension. He said Pakistan appro­priately responded to the attack as it did not have the option to not answer back. The territorial integ­rity and sovereignty would be protected at all costs, he asserted. He said Pakistan would raise the issue of presence of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Iran. The prime minister said the government was in contact with Afghan authorities at different levels. He further said Pakistan was a responsible nuclear state, however, it would respond with force if India resorted to any misadventure. The only dispute be­tween Pakistan and India, he said, was on Kashmir. The people of Pakistan were peaceful and wanted constructive developments in the region, he opined.