<\/p>\n
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Tuesday appeared irked with what he said was the media \u201cmisquoting\u201d his remarks<\/a> that \u201cfair elections\u201d were possible even without PTI Chairman Imran Khan.<\/p>\n Imran, who was originally jailed<\/a> for \u201ccorrupt practices\u201d in the Toshakhana case \u2014 although his conviction has since been suspended<\/a> \u2014 is currently on judicial remand in the cipher case.<\/p>\n In an interview<\/a> with The Associated Press<\/em> last week, the prime minister had said that \u201cfair\u201d polls were possible without Imran and his party leaders, who were jailed as part of a state crackdown in the aftermath of violent riots across the country on May 9.<\/p>\n The PTI had rejected the premier\u2019s remarks, saying elections without Imran would be \u201cunconstitutional and illegal\u201d. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan had also taken strong exception<\/a> to PM Kakar\u2019s remarks, calling them \u201canti-democratic\u201d and \u201cill-judged\u201d.<\/p>\n Questioned about the matter while talking to the media in London today, PM Kakar said: \u201cI don\u2019t have knowledge of the unknown about who the upcoming elections will be held with or without.<\/p>\n \u201cSuch sentences are repeatedly circulated and attempted to be associated with me which is never my intention or my purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n He complained that oftentimes, half sentences were cherry-picked from an entire paragraph for a lead story by the media. \u201cIt is a great misfortune that people are misquoted and misled,\u201d the prime minister added.<\/p>\n On the question of whether the PTI chief would be able to participate in elections, the premier asked if a British-Pakistani citizen could partake in the electoral process or not.<\/p>\n \u201cNo? why? because laws do not permit you. And if the law permits any person, whoever political leader they are, then they will take part [in elections] and if it doesn\u2019t, then they won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the caretaker government had no role in the issue, adding that what people did not understand was that these were all legal matters, not political or administrative.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as laws and procedures and due process are concerned, I cannot change them and even if I want to, my hands are tied.\u201d<\/p>\n On the election date, the prime minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan would fulfil its responsibility and a date would be announced soon.<\/p>\n