Abbasi’s ‘No’ to Shah’s panel for caretaker PM

ISLAMABAD: Deadlock may occur in the appointment of caretaker prime minister as both Premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Leader of Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah do not appear to be agreeing on any of the names exchanged between them so far.

Informed sources said that Prime Minister Abbasi said “No” to the PPP’s panel, which included the names of Jalil Abbas Jillani, Salim Abbas Jillani and Zaka Ashraf. These sources said that Abbasi, while conveying his “No” to Khursheed Shah on Monday, asked the leader of the opposition either to come up with some new names or accept one of the three names recommended by him (prime minister).

The prime minister’s panel includes the names of Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk, Justice (retd) Tassaduq Jillani and Ms Shamshad Akhtar. Khursheed Shah is expected to discuss the government’s names with the PPP’s top leadership.

Sources, however, fear that it is highly unlikely that Asif Ali Zardari would agree to any of the government’s name. In such a scenario, the matter is likely to be referred to the parliamentary committee for a decision on the matter.

If the parliamentary committee also fails to take the decision, then the matter will go the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which will finally choose one of the names as caretaker prime minister.

Under Article 224 of the Constitution on dissolution of the National Assembly or on completion of its term, or in case it is dissolved under Article 58 or Article 112, the president shall appoint a caretaker cabinet: Provided that the caretaker prime minister shall be appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing National Assembly.

If the prime minister and the leader of the opposition do not agree on any person to be appointed as caretaker prime minister, the provisions of Article 224A shall be followed. The Article 224A says: “In case the prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing National Assembly do not agree on any person to be appointed as the caretaker prime minister, within three days of the dissolution of the National Assembly, they shall forward two nominees each to a Committee to be immediately constituted by the Speaker of the National Assembly, comprising eight members of the outgoing National Assembly, or the Senate, or both, having equal representation from the Treasury and the Opposition, to be nominated by the prime minister and the leader of the opposition respectively.

"The committee constituted, according to the Constitution, shall finalise the name of the caretaker prime minister within three days of the referral of the matter to it. But in case of inability of the committee to decide the matter in the aforesaid period, the names of the nominees shall be referred to the ECP for final decision within two days."