Interim prime minister Anwaarul Haq in his maiden address to the cabinet equated the May 9 violence with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), describing the state buildings and military installations as the ‘immune system’ of the country.
“We not just condemn it [May 9 violence] now we are in the roll to ensure that justice is being done and whosoever violated laws on those days would be treated by those laws,” said interim PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar.
Violent protests broke out after PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested on May 9. State buildings and military installations were attacked after Khan was whisked away by paramilitary forces from the premises of Islamabad High Court.
The PTI and the political fraternity have condemned the attack. But the previous government blamed the Khan-led party leaders for inciting workers to such demonstrations. Many PTI leaders have parted ways with the party after the attack and the government has arrested several people for their involvement in such activities.
Kakar in his address where he highlighted a lot of issues spoke about the May 9 violence before the Kashmir issue.
Interim PM Kakar has installed a 24-member cabinet comprising politicians, TV artists and anchors, retired bureaucrats and servicemen. According to reports, most of the appointments were dominated by the nominees of PML-N and PPP.
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“We have seen some sabotage some activities on May 9. I would explicitly express not just discomfort. It was a way of disappointment that how and where did we reach on that day not just that our military installations were attacked. Let me remind you when I was growing up a new virus emerged by the name of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) the nature of the virus was that it would attack the immune system of the body and then you could have died.
It would have been fatal even for a mundane disease like flu so for any policy if its immune system is attacked it leads towards its fatality and in our context these emblems and symbols are important. These state symbols when they are attacked state do not disappear or vanish within a day or two or a week. It is a process or initiation of this process to at least do so in my mind it was exhibited on May 9,“ said Kakar.
He stated that there would not be any favour or any fear and the caretaker government would try to implement justice and neutrality.
The caretaker highlighted that Pakistnan’s core issue of Kashmir could not be ignored as it does not lie in the memories or minds of the people. “But it lies in our soul and body can transform soul cannot so for us Kashmir is eternal.”
He expressed hope that the cabinet would be able to lead the country in the interim period.
“I am very well aware that we are here for an allocated time. We do not have some perpetual mandate to serve this nation. But in given allocated time we will try to lay foundations where we have a sense of continuation of national and international commitments with all the previous governments with which they have given to the different forums.”
In continuation of that, he said the interim government would try to support new initiatives, whatever the law and Constitution allow them to do. He mentioned the recently established hybrid institution –the Special Investment Facilitation Council.
“Hailing from Balochistan, we would take a lot of pride in our natural and mineral resources. But we never knew what those mineral resources were. But the day has arrived, with the support of all institutions — in which the Pakistan military is in the lead — to support, facilitate, encourage and realise this old national dream.”
While mentioning the polarisation in society, Kakar said that the caretaker government would try to differentiate between politics and law.
“There is a rule of law and there is a rule of order. We will ensure that rule of order is not compromised in any way. Rule of order would ensure and lead us to rule of law.”
He added that there was no room for chaos or anarchy in any governance system, secular system or religious theocratic system. “So we know the sanctity of the order. That would be kept at any cost. Pakistan is shared by all ethnicities, creed and religious backgrounds.”
He mentioned the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s speech on August 11, 1947.
“We would strongly discourage rigidity in any form in this society. We do not stand for the forces of darkness. Rigidity may come in the garb of religion or secularism or any other form. These extreme attitudes are not just unwelcome, they will be discouraged.”
He admitted that Pakistan’s economic challenges were considerable and the caretaker government would try to ensure financial discipline. “We have a sense of the sanctity of taxpayers’ money, on which we are having this meeting and consuming this water and tea.”
He went on to add that the people of the country paid taxes so that the government could deliver and provide a secure environment for them.
“So that utmost duty — maybe it is for a month, two, three or whatever the allocated time is — we will demonstrate not through our words but through our actions. Minorities will stay protected, he said and highlighted that there might be an attempt to harm minorities in the country by “marginalised and peripheral” groups but the state and society would respond to this “sternly and strictly”.
“Pakistani state and society do not align and identify with such elements. They may be from us but they are divorced from us.”
