Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi held a significant meeting on Tuesday with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shafqat Mahmood. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a consensus on the upcoming general elections and alleviate the existing tense political atmosphere in the country.
The PTI issued a statement indicating that the meeting took place at the “request of Solangi” and was hosted at Mahmood’s residence, who is a senior member of the party and previously served as the education minister under Imran Khan’s leadership.
The former ruling party has been expressing concerns about unequal opportunities for election campaigning. The PTI, led by Imran Khan, has been advocating for a “level playing field” for all political parties in the upcoming polls. The PTI leadership has expressed concerns about “political victimization” following the May 9 riots.
The May 9 riots erupted across the country after the arrest of the ousted prime minister in a £190 million settlement case. Law enforcement authorities arrested numerous PTI workers and senior leaders for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations during the protests.
The discussion during the meeting encompassed the need for transparent elections, equal opportunities for political parties in the electoral process, fostering greater national consensus, and other topics of mutual interest, as stated by the PTI.
Level-Playing Field
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Solangi have assured political parties that the interim government, in place until the elections, will ensure a “level-playing field” for all parties.
During the meeting, Mahmood emphasized that the effectiveness of elections depends on their being free, fair, impartial, and transparent. He stressed the importance of providing an equal environment and opportunities to all parties for their participation in the elections.
Mahmood also expressed his party’s concerns that it was not receiving the same level of opportunity for electioneering as other political parties.
In a statement following the off-camera meeting, the caretaker minister clarified that his meeting with Mahmood was simply a gathering with an “old friend” and that he routinely meets people from various walks of life and political parties. He emphasized that these meetings had no political motivation.
