The government and the main opposition are likely to head to a possible deadlock over the nomination of caretaker prime minister as the government has only one day to complete its term.
A caretaker prime minister will take over on the dissolution of the assemblies on March 16. However, the government and the opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) have not yet agreed on a consensus candidate. Both sides had proposed names for the slot.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Friday said that consultations could only move forward if the names proposed by the opposition (PML-N) party for the caretaker prime minister are considered by the government.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is in constant contact with the Opposition Leader about nomination of a suitable person for the office of caretaker prime minister, the PM office said.
The prime minister continues to make effort to reach an agreement on the name of a caretaker prime minister, a statement said. The opposition rejected three names proposed by the prime minister.
The opposition leader said if consensus on the name of caretaker prime minister is not reached, the matter will then be referred to parliamentary committee, which will refer it to the election commission.
The opposition withdrew former Supreme Court judge Justice (Rtd) Shakirulllah Jan from the list of three proposed candidates.
There were 6 candidates for a single seat with the submission of three names by the opposition and a same number of names by the government for the care-taker prime minister.
With the withdrawal of Justice (r) Shakirullah Jan’s name by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz there are five contenders left for the care-taker prime minister.
A look at the names given by the opposition and the government makes on feel as if there is competition between the techonocrats for this single seat.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz submitted names of two retired judges and an elderly politician while the ruling Peoples Party has opted for 2 economists and a retired judge.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had proposed the names of Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Dr Ishrat Hussain, Justice Retd Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, for the caretaker Prime Minister, a spokesman of the Prime Minister House said.
The Prime Minister has proposed the names in response to the letter by Leader of Opposition Chaudhary Nisar Ahmed.
Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh recently resigned as Finance Minister. He also remained the Minister of Investment and Privatization.
Dr Ishrat Hussain has been former governor of the State Bank of Pakistan. He also remained the chief economist of the World Bank for the Far-East Asian region.
Justice Mir Hazar Khan Khoso is a retired judge and remained chief justice of Balochistan High Court. Justice Khoso also held the responsibility of the acting governor of Balochistan from June 25, 1990 to July 12, 1990 and March 13, 1991 to July 13, 1991.
PML-N had proposed the names of two distinguished judges- Shakirullah Jan and Nasir Aslam Zahid. The third name that PML (N) proposed is that of prominent elderly politician Rasool Baksh Palejo, a well known nationalist.
PM Ashraf hopes that the issue of care-taker prime minister would be settled by consensus so that it wouldn’t have to be forwarded to parliamentary committee or the Election Commission but the opposition’s attitude indicates that it would try to prolong the issue and try that it gets referred to the Election Commission.
If the issues remains unsettled by consensus the names would presented before the parliamentary committee comprising 4 representatives each from the opposition and the government. But if the issue still remain unsettled the EC would have to look after the matter which would decide the care-taker PM name from the names of two nominations each by the opposition and the government.
NO matter who so ever wins the jackpot it is clear that the government and the opposition are ready to hand over the care-taker set-up in the hands of a technocrat.
