Pakistan: PPP, PML-N to hold meeting over nomination of caretaker setup after assemblies’ dissolution

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 31 (ANI): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday took the decision to engage in the third round of consultation regarding the nomination of caretaker setup after the assemblies’ dissolution, Pakistan-based ARY News reported citing sources.

As the dissolution of the assemblies draws closer, PPP and PML-N have intensified their efforts to arrive at a consensus on the caretaker setup. The two parties are set to hold a third round of consultations to expedite the process, ARY News reported citing sources. PPP and PML-N have agreed to hold a meeting on Monday. The primary agenda of the meeting will be to discuss the finalisation of the caretaker setup to oversee the affairs of Pakistan until the new government is formed.

Sources within the PPP have revealed that their party have completed the process of consultation and discussions over the potential names for Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister, according to an ARY News report.

PPP is now prepared to present their candidate for Pakistan’s caretaker PM during its meeting with PML-N on Monday. PPP Co-Chairman and former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari played a key role in overseeing the selection of suitable candidates for Pakistan’s caretaker PM.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated that the National Assembly will be dissolved before August 12 with the consultation of the allied parties, ARY News reported.

In an interview at a Geo News programme, he said the tenure of the National Assembly will end on August 12 and before that, the assembly will be dissolved. He further said that the Election Commission of Pakistan will announce a date for the next elections.

He has ruled out the appointment of Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as the caretaker PM, Dawn reported. He made these remarks on a Geo News programme on Sunday.

Sharif stressed that a “neutral person” would be selected to lead the interim set-up to make upcoming general elections “transparent”.

“A neutral person should be appointed to this position so that no one could question the elections’ results,” Dawn quoted Pakistan PM Sharif as saying.

He said that the decision regarding the caretaker setup will be taken after consultation with allied parties, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz.