President Dr. Arif Alvi requested Raja Riaz, the departing Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA), and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to submit names for the caretaker PM position by tomorrow (August 12).
Alvi asks Shehbaz Riaz name interim PM Aug 12: Details indicate that the president asked for the identities in a letter to the opposition leader and the prime minister.
President Alvi stated in a letter that pursuant to Article 224A of the Constitution, PM Shehbaz and Raja Riaz had three days following the dissolution of the National Assembly to suggest a name for the appointment of a caretaker prime minister.
In accordance with the proviso to Article 224 (1A) of the Constitution, the president names the caretaker prime minister after consulting with the outgoing National Assembly’s leader of the opposition and the prime minister.
He said that on August 9 the prime minister gave him advice to dissolve the National Assembly in accordance with Article 58 (1) of the Constitution, which he authorised and did the same day.
“As provided in Article 224 (1A) of the Constitution of Pakistan, Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly may propose a suitable person for appointment as Care-taker Prime Minister not later than August 12, 2023,” the president continued.
It is important to note that after the National Assembly (NA) was dissolve on August 9, PM Shehbaz and opposition leader Raja Riaz held consultations to choose a candidate for the temporary premier.
Today’s meeting between the two leaders is anticipated to be followed by additional discussions.
Within three days, the prime minister and the opposition leader must agree on who will hold the top position in the temporary administration. 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.
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. Former Pakistani finance minister Hafeez Sheikh’s name is also being considered for a crucial position in the forthcoming caretaker administration.
Yesterday, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) proposed Jalil Abbas Jilani as a candidate for the position of interim 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.