Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet outgoing Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Raja Riaz today to reach a consensus on selecting a name for the caretaker premier.
The sun set on the coalition government’s regime on Wednesday after President Alvi dissolved the lower house of the Parliament, three days before the completion of its five-year tenure, shortly after a summary signed by PM Shehbaz, advising the same, was sent to the Presidency.
A statement issued by the Presidency just before midnight read, “President Arif Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly under Article 58(1) on the advice of the prime minister.”
After the approval of the summary, the federal cabinet also stands dissolved.
On Thursday morning, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs also issued a notification saying the president had dissolved the NA “with immediate effect”.
The outgoing government has so far failed to name the caretaker prime minister who would spearhead the interim set-up till general elections, which are likely to be delayed after the notification of the latest census.
However, till the appointment of the caretaker prime minister, PM Shehbaz will act as the caretaker prime minister. According to Article 94 of the Constitution, “The president may ask the prime minister to continue to hold office until his successor enters upon the office of prime minister.”
PM Shehbaz, in his farewell address at the NA yesterday, said he would meet Riaz today to evolve a consensus on the name of the interim prime minister — a constitutional requirement.
“I will meet Raja Riaz sahib tomorrow and shake hands with him … as the Constitution says, we will discuss names for the interim premier. The first meeting will be held tomorrow (Thursday) … the Constitution gives us three days [to decide the name of the interim PM],” he had said.
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.
Earlier, the premier had denied the finalisation of any candidates for the post, adding that consultations with the government’s allies and his own party members on the matter were a “continuous process” that would be completed within a day or two.
On the other hand, Riaz had told reporters earlier this week that the names for the caretaker PM were finalised after he held three meetings with lawmakers from the opposition. “They do not include any politicians, but an economist has been shortlisted,” he had revealed.
‘New entrant’
Meanwhile, a Daily City news report said the list of candidates for the office of the caretaker prime minister continued to swell, and a new name — Jalil Abbas Jilani — came to the fore. Abbas is said to be on the list of three nominees shared by the PPP with the PM.
PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed that his party presented the name of Jalil Abbas Jilani for the office. He said although the PPP wanted a politician to be appointed as the caretaker PM, the party also desired a “strong man” to be made the head of the interim set-up to ensure transparent elections.
Before Jilani emerged as the ‘strong contender’ for the coveted post, former finance minister Dr Hafeez Sheikh was said to be the best bet. Now, political observers believed that the former foreign secretary was the most likely candidate.
Other candidates who are in the run for the coveted slot include Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad, ex-chief justice Tassaduq Jilani, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, Pir Pagaro, and Makhdoom Mehmood Ahmed.
