PML-N, PPP agree on caretaker premier's name

Nominees include Justice (retd) Tasadduq Hussain Jilani, Dr Ishrat Hussain

KARACHI: The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have secretly agreed on the name of the caretaker premier. The name was finalised between PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Opposition leader Khursheed Shah.

The decision was taken during secret talks conducted between the two parties and was decided that the issue would not be referred to the parliamentary committee or the ECP.

According to the PML-N sources, the party leadership was able to secretly send messages to PPP in order to confirm a reliable name. It was agreed that a name with mutual consensus would be decided.

The two parties have considered the names of Justice (retd) Tasadduq Hussain Jilani, Dr Ishrat Hussain, Justice (retd) Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk, Justice (retd) Shakirullah Jan, Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and some other names for the caretaker prime minister.



Of the suggested names, the two strong personalities decided for the position of caretaker premier were Justice (retd) Tasadduq Hussain Jilani and Dr Ishrat Hussain.

On the other hand, the PML-N desires that person with an expertise in financial and administrative matters should be the caretaker PM. Hence, Dr Ishrat is considered to be an important candidate by PML-N.

However, the PPP wants someone with a judicial background. Therefore, they are considering the names of either Justice (retd) Tasadduq Hussain Jilani or Justice (retd) Anwar Zaheer Jamali for the caretaker PM.



According to sources, the PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari held consultations with and senior party members and soon the name of the candidate for caretaker prime minister would be announced.

While the PML-N sources confirmed, discussions between the supreme leader of PML-N Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have taken place for the position of caretaker PM.  Sharif has advised Abbasi to finalise the name of the candidate with Khursheed Shah before the tenure of the incumbent government is completed.

The PML-N central secretary information Mushahidullah Khan said, "PM  Abbasi is in contact with the opposition leader on the issue of caretaker PM and PML-N is trying to solve the issue with consensus."

According to a senior PPP leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the two parties were in touch on the issue.