PML-N nominates Dar as caretaker PM, mulls efforts to convince PPP
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Raja Riaz said on Tuesday the appointment of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as caretaker prime minister could rule out the possibility of elections in the country at least for two years.
Expressing his views, Riaz said: “Instead of holding immediate elections, there is an urgent need to get the country out of crisis.”
“As the Leader of the Opposition, I will recommend three names to the government for the appointment of the interim prime minister. I am consulting with the friends in the opposition to finalise the names for the caretaker prime minister,” Riaz said.
“I will make a final decision regarding the name of the caretaker prime minister in the first week of August with the prime minister. The names will be finalised in the first phase for the caretaker setup,” he maintained.
On Monday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reacted to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s nomination as the caretaker prime minister.
Speaking to media, Asif said: “Ishaq Dar is my brother and a friend. Dar and I share a relationship that I very much own. During Pervez Musharraf’s era, we both faced jail. The possibility of Dar becoming prime minister is something I also hope for”.
“However, my knowledge is that there are objections to Ishaq Dar’s appointment as the interim prime minister. The people will raise objections if the caretaker prime minister will be from the ruling party,” he said.
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The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday nominated Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as the caretaker prime minister, sources told Dunya News.
They said the party is taking the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and other coalition partners into confidence over the Dar’s nomination.
“There is a possibility of a consensus on the Dar’s nominee in the meetings of the top leadership of the PPP and the PML-N as the advisory committees of the both sides are expected to meet soon,” said the sources.
They further said the federal cabinet would be taken into confidence on interim setup.
On the other hand, the PPP established a consultation committee which comprised federal ministers Khursheed Shah, Naveed Qamar and former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.
Both major coalition partners have agreed that a politician should be appointed as the head of the interim set-up, with PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira saying that no politician could be appointed as a judge and vice versa.
Sources said the consultation committees of both parties were expected to meet to discuss possible names for the caretaker premier.
Earlier, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal hoped that the coalition parties would agree on the name of Ishaq Dar. He made these remarks during an interview to a private TV channel.
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