Pakistan: PM, leader of opposition conclude formal meeting on name for caretaker PM

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 10 (ANI): The formal round of conversation over the name of Pakistan’s caretaker PM between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz concluded on Thursday, Geo News reported. 

Notably, PM Sharif and Riaz earlier held two meetings at the Prime Minister’s House.

As President Arif Alvi approved the dissolution of the country’s National Assembly late at night, the PM and Riaz had to quickly decide the name for the caretaker PM post. 

Upon his arrival at the PM’s House, Riaz was asked whom he would nominate from his side, to which he said: “I bear three names in mind.”

“The president dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the prime minister under Article 58-1 of the Constitution,” read an official statement issued by the President’s Office on X, formerly known as Twitter, late Wednesday.

PM Shehbaz has formally invited Riaz for the meeting for consultation in a letter, as per Geo News.

In his letter, the premier said that the president has dissolved the National Assembly under Article 58(1) of the constitution and that he is ready to fulfil his constitutional responsibility for the appointment of the caretaker Prime Minister.

A process to appoint a caretaker prime minister will be conducted under Article 224-A of the Constitution, which will usher in an interim government to oversee an election.

The Prime Minister and Riaz will hold the final round of consultations to finalise one of the names proposed for the interim PM’s post.

It may be noted that three names have been proposed, including two nominations — former diplomat Jalil Abbas Jilani and former chief justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jilani — sent by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), reported Geo News.

However, there’s no public announcement by the Pakistan Mulsim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in this regard.

Earlier, several names for the caretaker PM post came out and some of them are finance minister Ishaq Dar, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former caretaker prime minister Mohammad Mian Soomro.

If the prime minister and opposition leader fail to agree on the name within three days, the matter will go to the parliamentary committee for the appointment of a caretaker PM, according to Geo News.

Under the law, the premier and the opposition leader will send their respective preferences for the coveted post to the parliamentary committee.