Caretaker setup: opposition leader starts consultations

Decides to give names of finalists to PM after Aug 8; BAP chief says caretaker PM must come from Balochistan

ISLAMABAD:

The opposition on Wednesday decided that the final name for the caretaker prime minister will be communicated to the government after a consultation process scheduled for August 8.

The development came in the wake of Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Raja Riaz engaging in discussions with opposition parties on the critical matter that will shape the governance of the interim setup recently empowered with the country’s economic stewardship.

In a statement, the opposition leader said there will be consultations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who will be presented with three potential nominees.

The day witnessed the convening of two crucial meetings by the opposition attended by important leaders including Khalid Magsi, Fahmida Mirza, Saira Bano, Farrukh Altaf, and Riaz Hussain Mazari.

With a deadline set for August 8, the opposition leader has commenced a series of consultations with the Grand Democratic Alliance, Jamaat-e-Islami, and disgruntled members of the PTI over suitable candidates for the coveted post.

The next meeting will take place at the Parliament House on Friday.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) chief, Khalid Magsi, expressed that the caretaker prime minister should hail from Balochistan, and in line with this stance, the party has put forward the names of Zulfiqar Ali Khan Magsi and Nawab Aslam Raisani as potential candidates.

Mir Khan Muhammad Khan Jamali, belonging from PTI, also confirmed that they have officially forwarded the names of the two leaders from the province for consideration.

Meanwhile, Fahmida Mirza also confirmed that consultations were held and said that looking ahead, the opposition has scheduled their next meeting for Friday, where they plan to present their own proposed candidate for the role.
Moreover, she hinted at the possibility that the opposition's nominee could also potentially serve as the caretaker premier.

Interestingly, she shared that the government has not unveiled any names for the post thus far.