The date for the oath-taking for the next prime minister has been fixed and it is likely that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif would be taking oath of office on June 5. Pakistan Today had already informed its readers of the date on May 22.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arif Nizami on Monday announced the official date, saying the new prime minister would take oath of office on June 5. Addressing reporters at the National Press Club, Nizami said Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso had moved a summery to the president for summoning the inaugural session of National Assembly on June 1, the day when the newly-elected members of the Lower House of parliament would take oath and sign their rolls.
Speaker Fehmida Mirza would conduct proceedings of the inaugural session.
“Since around 342 newly-elected members would be taking oath and signing rolls, it is likely that no business would be taken up on June 1,” the minister revealed. He added that after Sunday being the official holiday, the session would be held on Monday, June 3, and the election of speaker and deputy speaker would take place.
“On June 4, the election for the leader of the House would be held and finally, the new prime minister would take oath on June 5,” the minister added.
On the performance of the caretaker government, Nizami said the caretaker government had fulfilled its responsibility in a responsible manner.
“The elections were free and fair barring very few negligible complaints as compared to past experiences. The caretaker government did not ban mobile phone services on election day,” the minister added.
The Caretaker government had acted in an impartial way by ensuring free, fair and impartial elections, the minister said, adding that there was no favourite or blue eyed of the government and the caretakers had treated all and sundry equally.
To a question, Nizami said he had initiated endowment fund for working journalists with a seed money of Rs 10 million.
“Efforts are underway to enhance the endowment fund by Rs 20 million. The amount would be paid to journalist who lost their lives in duty,” he added.
He agreed with the notion that the owners of newspapers should timely pay the remunerations of the working journalists.
Responding to a question, the minister said he had no role in preparation of secret list of beneficiary journalists of secret fund of the ministry.
He said in principle, he was opposed to the idea of the secret funds.
Nizami said circular debt was a real cause of load shedding and the caretakers were trying their best to minimise the misery of the people.
The minister said the government had approved Rs 22 billion for clearing dues of power companies.
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Agha Nadeem said the secret funds are used in providing prompt help to deserving journalists following set rules and this process took three to four months.
