PM, opposition leader discuss caretaker set-up

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah held the third round of the consultations over the name of caretaker prime minister on Wednesday and decided to continue consultation to finalise the caretaker set-up by the mid of May.

During the meeting, the prime minister and the opposition leader discussed different options for the caretaker set-up. The prime minister shared the opinion of the government and its allies with the opposition leader. Khursheed Shah also presented two names to the prime minister for the caretaker PM.

Khursheed Shah told the prime minister that the outgoing PML-N government has no right to present the budget for the entire upcoming fiscal year. Following the meeting with the premier, Khursheed Shah met the PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the chambers of the Parliament House. Khursheed Shah took Shah Mehmood Qureshi into confidence over his meeting with the prime minister. He shared that the opposition should start finalising their names for the post of caretaker PM.

The meeting was also attended by Dr Shireen Mazari and Syed Naveed Qamar. Talking to the media after the meeting with Shah Mehmood, the opposition leader said he and the prime minister held an hour-long meeting. He said they had not yet consulted their allies on the appointment of a caretaker prime minister.

"The prime minister said that he will propose a name for the caretaker PM after taking his allies on board. I also told him that the opposition too will propose a name after consultation," he said, adding that the name will be finalised before May 16.

Khursheed Shah said it was suggested to the prime minister to dissolve the National Assembly just a day ahead of completion of its tenure and the elections be held in 90 days. “But if the government completes its tenure, then the elections must be held within 60 days,” he said. However, he said the prime minister did not agree with his proposal.

“I suggested that the PML-N should present the budget for the next four months only to cater to the needs of the interim set-up and give the next government opportunity to present a budget of its own,” he said.

Sources told The News that first preference would be given to some political stalwart, while esteemed former head of judiciary would be the second option for appointing the caretaker PM. In all probabilities, technocrats wouldn’t be considered for the exalted slot.

The sources hinted that former CJP Syed Tassadaq Hussain Jilani, former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani and renowned banker Ms Shamshad Akhtar are among the hot favourites for the office of the caretaker premier.

The sources said that Khursheed Shah will also consult the PPP leadership before having final round of talks with the prime minister. Political observers are of the view that since the PPP and PTI leaderships have already developed unannounced understanding for the future course of action, it is unlikely that Abbasi and Shah could reach a consensus appointment. The matter could go to the ECP after the failure of the parliamentary committee that would be constituted by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq with equal number of members of the divide in the House.