ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that the name of the caretaker premier would be finalised by tomorrow (August 12). According to state-run Radio Pakistan, the prime minister confirmed this in a conversation with journalists in Islamabad. “Coalition partners will be taken into confidence over the matter before taking a final decision,” it quoted him as saying.
PM Shehbaz also said that the Constitution provided eight days for the appointment of the caretaker premier.
A day after the premature dissolution of the National Assembly, PM Shehbaz met outgoing Leader of the Opposition in the NA Raja Riaz to exchange a list of probable candidates for the coveted slot as formal consultations on the matter kicked off.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Riaz had said six names were under consideration, adding that they were in no hurry to decide the name for the caretaker PM.
The leaders are also expected to hold a second meeting today for further deliberations.
According to the Constitution, the premier and the outgoing opposition leader in the NA have three days to decide the name of the interim prime minister.
In case the two fail to agree on a name, the matter would be referred to a parliamentary committee. If the committee fails to make any decision, then the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will have two days to choose the caretaker prime minister from the list of names shared with the commission.
Some in political circles believe that PM Shehbaz wants to stay in office till Aug 14 so he could attend the flag-hoisting ceremony on Independence Day, after which a caretaker premier will take an oath.
As per the Constitution, PM Shehbaz can act as the caretaker prime minister till the appointment of the head of the interim set-up. Article 94 of the Constitution says, “The president may ask the prime minister to continue to hold office until his successor enters upon the office of prime minister.”
One of the reasons for delay in deciding the name of the head of interim set-up is believed to be the PML-N’s desire to see its own man in office. Sources said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari were calling the shots on the issue of the appointment of the caretaker PM in consultation with the “third party”. –Agencies
