LAHORE: Caretaker Home Minister Punjab Shaukat Javaid Tuesday said that the government has taken all steps to hold transparent, free and fair general election 2018.
In a joint press conference with the caretaker Punjab Minister for Law, Finance and Excise & Taxation Zia Haider Rizvi here, the ministers said that the caretaker government had done its best to hold fair elections while all departments concerned had cooperated with the government in this regard.
They said that the Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) Dr. Hasan Askari believed in transparent elections.  They said that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had been provided all the required facilities in the prison, adding that decision about shifting of Nawaz to a hospital would be made on the basis of the medical reports
under the law.
Shaukat said that all prisoners of the federal government are kept in Adiala Jail. Nawaz Sharif is a prisoner of the federal government, and that was why he had been lodged in Adiala Jail under the same law, he added.
“Earlier, a fan, a mist fan and later an air-conditioner had been provided to Nawaz Sharif and his food is being supplied from his home,” he added. He said that according to the medical board report, Nawaz Sharif is generally fit and he would be shifted to a hospital if it was recommended in the detailed medical report.
To a question, he said that the governor had the constitutional authority to visit anybody in any jail and governors of the two provinces used their constitutional authority.
He said that the caretaker government was not supporting any political party. To another question, he said that 832 cases had been registered during election campaign against political activists, whereas 192 cases had been registered against the workers of PTI, 23 against Pakistan People’s Party and 115 against independent candidates.
” As many as 205 workers of the PML-N and 145 of the PTI were arrested while all political workers were released on bail,” he added. To another question, the minister said that all reporters having Election Commission cards could go into the polling stations, but without cameras and they could not stay there for more than 10 minutes. He said that 6,000 polling stations had been declared sensitive.
He said that four army jawans would be debuted at every polling station while more than four policemen would be deputed at the sensitive polling station.
“Magisterial powers will only be used by the army officers,” he added. He said that the caretaker government had not made any new rule or code for election, adding that law on banning camera was made by the former government.
Responding to a question about recovered Identity cards from a nullah, he said that investigation was underway in this regard. “Locals had seen a man throwing a bag there,” he said.
Shaukat said that NADRA had been asked to find out the reality of the cards, adding that it appeared as if some persons threw the bag after seeing in place foolproof arrangements for polling by the government.
To a question about security, the home minister said that proper arrangements had been made to counter security threats. “The CTD and other law-enforcement agencies had arrested terrorists from the province,” he added. Zia Haider Rizvi said that no one could say that the caretaker government was controversial.
To a question, the ministers said that NAB prisoners could see their relatives within the first 24 hours after that meeting could only be held on the fixed day. The ministers urged the media to support the caretaker setup if someone criticises it as the government did its job with dedication.
“All cabinet members worked together and the chief minister was not alone,” they added. They thanked heads of all departments for their cooperation.