Interim set-up: PM approaches leader of opposition for consultation

Ashraf wants to reach consensus before dissolution of National Assembly.

ISLAMABAD:

In what can be called the first formal move towards setting up an interim government before the general elections, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has asked the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, to forward him names for the caretaker prime minister proposed by the opposition.

In his letter dispatched to Nisar on Wednesday, PM Ashraf also suggested that a consensus on the caretaker prime minister be reached before the term of the lower house of Parliament expires to avoid further complications.

“I would request you [Nisar] as Leader of the Opposition, to propose names of persons who in your opinion are eminently qualified to be appointed as caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan … I would be grateful if you could forward your nominations at the earliest so that we may arrive at a consensus… prior to the dissolution of the National Assembly… otherwise we will be constrained to proceed further in the matter as per Article 224(A) of the Constitution,” read the contents of the Premier’s letter.

The term of the incumbent National Assembly expires on March 16.

President Asif Ali Zardari has tasked Khurshid Shah with conducting informal talks with the main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) before the two sides enter formal negotiations.

The Khurshid Shah-led government committee has held several rounds of talks with PML-N leaders. The PML-N delegation in these talks is headed by Senator Ishaq Dar, the Leader of Opposition in the Senate.

PML-N, which rules Punjab, is using the fact that the provincial assembly’s term expire on April 8 – long after the National Assembly’s – as leverage in its talks with the government.

The election authorities, meanwhile, want to hold elections for both the National and provincial assemblies on the same date for administrative and legal reasons. If the Punjab Assembly is not dissolved on March 16, it will be difficult to manage the schedule of polls for all legislatures if they are to be held on the same date.

PML-N’s nominees

PML-N claims it has already been holding consultations with opposition parties over nominees for the interim premier. It has already shortlisted some nominees from a long list.

PML-N leaders maintain the names of Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Justice (retd) Ajmal Mian are likely to be proposed by the opposition among other former judges.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2013.