Pak PM Says Caretaker Premier's Name To Be Finalised Today

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed confidence that the name of the caretaker Prime Minister will be finalized today.

The Dawn news report citing the state-run Radio-Pakistan, the Pakistan PM in a conversation with journalists in Islamabad confirmed saying that, "Coalition partners will be taken into confidence over the matter before taking a final decision."

This comes a day after the premature dissolution of the National Assembly, PM Shehbaz met the outgoing leader of the Opposition in the NA Raja Riaz to exchange a list of probable candidates for the covered slot as formal consultation on the matter kicked off.

The Dawn news reported that Riaz had six names under consideration, adding that they were in no hurry to decide the name for the caretaker PM.

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.

The outgoing government has so far failed to name the caretaker prime minister who would lead the interim set-up till general elections, which are likely to be delayed after the notification of the latest census, the Dawn reported.

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."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, the Dawn reported.

Meanwhile, a Dawn 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.

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, the Dawn reported.

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.

But PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said on Dawn News show 'Live with Adil Shahzeb' today that two other leaders from his party, Ishaq Dar and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, were not being considered for the post, the Dawn reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)