Daily Times

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, whose name has been floated as a possible caretaker prime minister, has stated that speculations for the coveted position are “premature,” and that consultations for the appointment have not yet begun.

During an interview on a private television channel on Tuesday, he stated that the decision would be approved by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership – the ruling alliance in the Centre.

According to party insiders, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), a significant member of the current coalition, has decided to name Dar as caretaker PM.

However, not only did political observers condemn the plan, but the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also expressed reservations about supporting the finance minister.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also dismissed the rumours, saying that no one close to the top PML-N leadership — the Sharif family — will be chosen as interim PM to avoid any criticism of the caretaker setup.

In his interview, the financial czar stated that he would accept the leadership’s decision on the appointment, but that the powers of the caretaker setup should be increased.

Dar stated that the interim administration’s tenure should be 90 days, not 60 days, citing reports that the PDM-led government may dissolve assemblies before their terms expire, giving the caretaker setup 90 days.

He further stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is in charge of conducting elections in a transparent manner.