ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said the government and the opposition have begun the process of consultations to reach a consensus on the names of a caretaker setup for the upcoming general elections scheduled this year.
While talking to the media in the federal capital on Wednesday, the minister expressed confidence that the opposition would agree to the best possible names having strong and unwavering democratic credentials and who could ensure timely elections.
Responding to a question, he said the decision regarding putting the names of people on the Exit Control List would be taken by the cabinet.
Earlier, Jamaat e Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq had suggested making nuclear physicist and founder of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb project Abdul Qadeer Khan care-taker prime minister.
Opposition leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah had earlier said that he would make every effort to nominate a capable person who could run day-to-day affairs of the government and ensure free and fair elections in the country.
Under the Country’s constitution, the prime minister and the opposition leader are required to appoint a caretaker government after consultations.
Meanwhile, Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Chaudhry Nisar’s future in PML-N would be decided by the party.
ON Monday, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that he would not remain part of the party if Maryam Nawaz becomes its leader. “She [Maryam] is not the party leader but if she is given the mantle I will quit,” he had added.
While referring to certain quarters in the PML-N who denounced him for opposing ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s challenging the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Panama Papers case, Nisar said: “When nothing could be found against me they began to question my friendship with Imran Khan,” he said.
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed
Separately, Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Wednesday said that a caretaker prime minister not approved by Imran Khan would not be acceptable.
The veteran politician was addressing journalists in a press conference in the federal capital.
“The caretaker government should be as per the nation’s standards,” he said, as he discussed the retirement of the president.
Rasheed expressed his disappointment with the assemblies for wanting to appoint a new president.
“Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani will be the caretaker president after the president’s retirement,” Rasheed said.
Published in Daily Times, March 22nd 2018.