Deadlock on interim premier: PML-N demands fresh nominees
Chaudhry Nisar rejects government candidates; Ashraf invites CMs to reception in Islamabad.
PM invited the chief ministers of all four provinces at a farewell reception, where the chief executives are likely to finalise the dates for the dissolution of provincial assemblies. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Now that the guessing game is over and the government and opposition have unveiled their nominees for caretaker prime minister, the hunt for a mutually acceptable candidate has begun. However, it’s not going be easy given the divergence of choices.
With national and provincial assemblies, barring Balochistan Assembly, due to dissolve Saturday (today), the first voices out of the opposition camp signalled the beginning of yet another tussle between the outgoing government and the main opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The PML-N not only rejected the government’s nominees but also refused to kick off negotiations until the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government presented fresh nominations for the top slot to the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
“We’ve rejected all the government’s nominees for the caretaker prime minister,” said PML-N Senator Pervez Rashid. “All options are open if the government brings fresh nominees for the top slot.”
The incumbent prime minister, however, refused to flinch on the nominees – threatening to refer the matter to the parliamentary committee, which only comes into play if a deadlock persists between the opposition and government for more than three days after the assemblies are dissolved.
“In case such an agreement is not possible, I shall forward the names of two persons to the parliamentary committee as stipulated in the Constitution,” said Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also told reporters on Friday that he had conveyed his party’s refusal to accept the government’s nominees.
Chaudhry Nisar also withdrew the name of Justice (Retd) Shakirullah Jan from the list of three nominees he had forwarded to the premier for the top slot, Senator Rashid told The Express Tribune. However, he did not say why. The other two nominees of the opposition leader are Justice (Retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Sindhi nationalist leader Rasul Bakhsh Paleejo.
“Dialogue is the way forward … We hope that given the sincerity of purpose and the vital importance of political decisions taken by politicians, we will be able to overcome what appears to be an obstacle through dialogue,” said presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar, adding that the premier would continue to make efforts to reach an agreement on the name of a caretaker prime minister.
Under Article 224 of the Constitution, the opposition and government have three days after the dissolution of the National Assembly to reach an agreement on the caretaker prime minister.
If there is still no consensus, both Chaudhry Nisar and Premier Ashraf, under Article 224-A, will forward two names each to an eight-member bipartisan parliamentary committee. If the committee also fails to pick a nominee, the Election Commission will be given the task to pick the caretaker prime minister within two days.
MQM picks one from each pot
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to back Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Dr Ishrat Husain as nominees for the caretaker prime minister, The Express Tribune learnt on Friday.
Justice Zahid is an opposition nominee, while Dr Ishrat Husain is among the three nominees of PPP-led coalition government. According to sources, the MQM has also decided not to support Dr Abdul Hafiz Sheikh as the nominee for caretaker prime minister, citing his alleged links with the establishment.
PM invites chief ministers for consultation
On the other hand, the premier also invited the chief ministers of all four provinces at a farewell reception, where the chief executives are likely to finalise the dates for the dissolution of provincial assemblies to ensure that the general elections are held on the same day as they are in the provinces.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2013.
Now that the guessing game is over and the government and opposition have unveiled their nominees for caretaker prime minister, the hunt for a mutually acceptable candidate has begun. However, it’s not going be easy given the divergence of choices.
With national and provincial assemblies, barring Balochistan Assembly, due to dissolve Saturday (today), the first voices out of the opposition camp signalled the beginning of yet another tussle between the outgoing government and the main opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The PML-N not only rejected the government’s nominees but also refused to kick off negotiations until the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government presented fresh nominations for the top slot to the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
“We’ve rejected all the government’s nominees for the caretaker prime minister,” said PML-N Senator Pervez Rashid. “All options are open if the government brings fresh nominees for the top slot.”
The incumbent prime minister, however, refused to flinch on the nominees – threatening to refer the matter to the parliamentary committee, which only comes into play if a deadlock persists between the opposition and government for more than three days after the assemblies are dissolved.
“In case such an agreement is not possible, I shall forward the names of two persons to the parliamentary committee as stipulated in the Constitution,” said Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also told reporters on Friday that he had conveyed his party’s refusal to accept the government’s nominees.
Chaudhry Nisar also withdrew the name of Justice (Retd) Shakirullah Jan from the list of three nominees he had forwarded to the premier for the top slot, Senator Rashid told The Express Tribune. However, he did not say why. The other two nominees of the opposition leader are Justice (Retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Sindhi nationalist leader Rasul Bakhsh Paleejo.
“Dialogue is the way forward … We hope that given the sincerity of purpose and the vital importance of political decisions taken by politicians, we will be able to overcome what appears to be an obstacle through dialogue,” said presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar, adding that the premier would continue to make efforts to reach an agreement on the name of a caretaker prime minister.
Under Article 224 of the Constitution, the opposition and government have three days after the dissolution of the National Assembly to reach an agreement on the caretaker prime minister.
If there is still no consensus, both Chaudhry Nisar and Premier Ashraf, under Article 224-A, will forward two names each to an eight-member bipartisan parliamentary committee. If the committee also fails to pick a nominee, the Election Commission will be given the task to pick the caretaker prime minister within two days.
MQM picks one from each pot
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to back Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Dr Ishrat Husain as nominees for the caretaker prime minister, The Express Tribune learnt on Friday.
Justice Zahid is an opposition nominee, while Dr Ishrat Husain is among the three nominees of PPP-led coalition government. According to sources, the MQM has also decided not to support Dr Abdul Hafiz Sheikh as the nominee for caretaker prime minister, citing his alleged links with the establishment.
PM invites chief ministers for consultation
On the other hand, the premier also invited the chief ministers of all four provinces at a farewell reception, where the chief executives are likely to finalise the dates for the dissolution of provincial assemblies to ensure that the general elections are held on the same day as they are in the provinces.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2013.