The acting prime minister of Pakistan stated that US military hardware left behind during the US pullout from Afghanistan is now in the possession of militants.
US military equipment in militant hands: Anwaarul-Haq Kakar, the prime minister of Islamabad, stated to international journalists that the equipment is now “emerging as a new challenge” for his country. The equipment is a wide range of products, from night vision goggles to guns.
To address the issue of the residual equipment, he said, a “coordinated approach” was required. Kakar added that social integration, as well as cultural and religious ties, are the foundations of the strong ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He continued, “Pakistan demonstrated generosity to the Afghan refugees, and the government is developing a strategy to deal with the problem of illegal immigration.
power costs
The administration, according to the prime minister, would make informed choices to appease customers concerned about excessive electricity prices without straying from the nation’s agreements with foreign financial institutions.
PM Kakar mentioned the problems with circular debt, electricity theft, and taxes, and he claimed the government would implement quick fixes without compromising the agitated populace.
Protests against the exorbitant electricity prices have spread across the entire nation, from Karachi to Khyber, and some protests are now turning violent.
Since the notables’ electricity bills have been exceeding their wages, the protesting masses have been calling on the government to stop giving them free electricity and to give them relief.
The acting prime minister reassured that the interim administration had the responsibility of facilitating the prompt organization of general elections in accordance with constitutional requirements.
He emphasised that the Constitution mandated that the delimitation take place after the population count.
According to PM Kakar, the caretaker setup primarily focused on reorganizing fiscal and monetary policies to establish a foundation for economic revival, all without altering the government structure.
“SIFC economic recovery strategy”
He characterized the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as an economic revival strategy centered around information technology, agriculture, mining and mineral production, and defense.
However, he also outlined his government’s plan for economic reform, stating that the next step would be the sale of two or more power distribution firms.
He claimed that the government will leave behind a foundation for mid-level reforms and that the taxation and electricity sectors also needed adjustments.
The caretaker premier added that the administration was adopting a strategy of doing the possible and giving economic planning a strategic direction.
Elections at large
In response to a query, he assured that all registered political parties would receive an equal opportunity to participate in the general elections without any bias.
However, he claimed that occasionally political behaviour devolved into vandalism and that the nation’s law was already in place to address such behaviour.
CPEC
Anwaarul Haq Kakar added that regardless of party affiliation, the Baloch people appreciated every project included in the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Further,He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the Chinese workers involved in the CPEC projects at all costs.
However, The prime minister hinted at the imminent commencement of the Reko Diq project, referring to the vast copper and gold reserves in Balochistan valued at $6 trillion.