Izhar contacts PML-F, PTI leaders for caretaker set-up in Sindh

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has started lobbying for the caretaker government in Sindh on Tuesday, starting with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional.

The opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hasan, representing the MQM-P, contacted Nand Kumar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and Khurram Sher Zaman, Imran Ismail and Faisal Vawda of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the first round of consultation.

Hasan said he would soon call on all likeminded opposition parties to seek suggestions for the establishment of the interim set-up as the provincial assembly was due to complete its term on May 29 this year.

He added that after consultation with the political parties on the opposition benches, the names for the caretaker chief minister and their cabinet would be sent to the government. The set-up would continue to run the affairs of the province in the absence of an elected government until the General Election 2018. The Election Commission of Pakistan is likely to announce the schedule of the polls on May 26.

The last such set-up was led by Justice (retired) Zahid Qurban Alavi, as he acted as the 27th caretaker chief minister of the province. His 16-member cabinet included Abdul Qadir Chouhan, Anis Haroon, Shakaib Qureshi, Ansari Sardar Khan Ghoto, Dr Junaid Ali Shah, Dr NA Lohani, Iqbal Dawood Pakwala, Khalid Latif, Khalid Tawab, Mahmood Mandviwala, Muhammad Sharif Ansari, Nawab Kalbe Hussain Lahori, Noorul Huda Shah, Rais Ghulam Qasim Jaskani, Sardar Yasin Malik and Syed Shabbar Zaidi. Mian Zahid Hussain and Haroon Farooqui were appointed as advisers.

After reaching a consensus on the names for this year’s caretaker government, the political parties on the treasury and opposition benches, represented by the CM and the opposition leader, will sign an agreement that will be subjected to the approval of the governor.