Says next government to take charge in 8-10 days; avoids question about his future plans; admits PTI enjoys sizeable support

Ansar Mahmood Bhatti

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said Monday defended the delay in election results, noting that mobile services were disrupted — which hampered the gathering of votes — due to security threats.

He further said that US, UK, EU or any other country had no right to interfere in Pakistan’s internal matters. The PM said this in reply to a question about the concerns of these countries about the manner in which 2024 general elections were held.

The prime minister expressed these views while addressing a press conference at the PM House, on Monday.

“We could afford delay, but terrorist attacks, we could not delay does not mean rigging,” Kakar, whose government was appointed to oversee the country through elections until an elected set-up takes charge, said during a post-election press conference.

Moving on to the allegations of foreign governments, who deplored the disruption in connectivity and the events that transpired in the lead-up to electrons, Kakar said they would be probed if need be.

“These friendly countries, unfortunately, frame their initial assessment on the fabricated and fractured information available on social media and the digital space.”

“A responsible government should take time and then have a position; that would have been better. If we have to investigate, we will not do it on the demand of the United States, United Kingdom, or the EU.”

He added, the next government may be formed in next 8 to 10 days depending on the outcome of the negotiations currently in progress among various political parties. To a question about his future plans he simply said ‘no comments’.

He said there was no doubt that the PTI enjoys public support. He hoped the PTI leadership would act in a responsible manner and play its role in the nation building.

Political parties — including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose candidates contested as independents, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) — had deplored the delay in the results of the election, claiming that it was tantamount to rigging.

The complete election results — despite the passing of more than three days — are still awaited as the total vote count from 264 constituencies is in, but one seat remains. Amid the delay, PTI, JI, and JUI-F held countrywide elections, with the former two warning of more demonstrations.

Kakar, recalling instances of election results’ delays in Sweden and Indonesia, wondered whether their polls were “rigged”. “We are a country of 240 million with 92,000 polling stations […] this entire process had to consume some time, which should and can be explained.”

The prime minister informed the journalists that in 2018, the entire result-gathering process took 66 hours; however, in 2024, it was completed in 36 hours — however, the official Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deadline was around nine hours.

Kakar noted that Pakistan has its law and will deal with it accordingly. “We did not ask a judicial inquiry on Capitol Hill riots. It is not for us to demand it and it is not for them. For me, the demand of a PTI individual than the US, UK, and EU combined.”

The premier noted that these nations have their own issues in elections, but that’s not for Pakistan to comment on, and neither should these countries issue statements on Islamabad’s domestic affairs.