Caretaker setup: Two names shortlisted for interim CM

“There won’t be any objection to whichever candidate is chosen from the two,” says Hoti.

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister (CM) Amir Haider Hoti and provincial assembly Opposition Leader Akram Khan Durrani on Tuesday shortlisted two names for the interim CM.

After a day-long consultation at the CM House, the two leaders informed journalists they had finalised two names from a list of 10-12 people.

However, the identities of the chosen candidates were not revealed. Hoti said they had promised the opposition bench they will not publicise the finalised names yet. “There won’t be any objection to whichever candidate is chosen from the two,” the incumbent CM said.

In response to a question, Hoti said the caretaker cabinet ministers will be decided by the interim CM himself. However, he and Durrani will be available for consultations if needed.

Durrani told media persons that K-P was the first province of the federation to finalise a caretaker setup. “The final outcome is the result of mutual consultations,” Durrani said, adding other opposition parties including Qaumi Watan Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had also been taken on board.

K-P Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told journalists: “In case of agreement within 2-3 days on a final name for caretaker CM, Hoti will write to the governor to dissolve the assembly on March 16.”

However, in case of non-agreement, the assembly would not be dissolved until March 24, and an alternate procedure of setting up the caretaker government will be invoked, the minister said.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) issued a statement asserting the provincial government had not consulted it on the matter. PTI’s provincial president Asad Qaiser maintained if the party’s leadership is not consulted, they reserve the right to protest and stop any attempt to rig the polls.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2013.