Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition Leader Raja Riaz scheduled for today, Thursday, the consultation process for selecting a caretaker prime minister has entered its penultimate stage.
Shehbaz Sharif Raja Riaz meet today: The much anticipated meeting was postponed from Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. to Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
According to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office, they have scheduled a meeting between Raja Riaz and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for today at 2:30 pm.
After receiving a statement from the prime minister recommending the dissolution of the lower chamber of Parliament, President Dr. Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly.
The caretaker prime minister who?
Rumour mills all around the nation are abuzz with speculation on who will serve as the Caretaker PM and guide the nation through the forthcoming election. The impending meeting between opposition leader Raja Riaz and caretaker prime minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to decide whether the interim leader would be a politician or a bureaucracy.
A bureaucrat has reportedly been the front-runner for the position of interim prime minister.
Ishaq Dar, Hafeez Sheikh, and Justice Shakeel Baloch were among those mentioned as candidates for the position of interim premier. The name of former Pakistani finance minister Hafeez Sheikh is also under consideration for a significant role in the upcoming caretaker administration.
Yesterday, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) put forth the suggestion of Jalil Abbas Jilani, a former foreign secretary, for the role of acting prime minister. During a meeting between PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Zardari, the PPP reportedly proposed Jalil Abbas Jilani’s name as the caretaker PM.
According to further sources, Nawaz Sharif had no issues with Jilani’s selection for the caretaker PM position. Jilani is related to Yousaf Raza Gillani, a pillar of the PPP.
However, Within three days, the prime minister and the opposition leader must agree on who will hold the top position in the temporary administration. Further, If they are unable to agree, a parliamentary committee will decide the matter over the next three days. If the situation remains unresolved, the electoral commission will publish the name of the caretaker prime minister within the next two days.