By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday dismissed media reports that the ruling party was considering Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as the caretaker prime minister, saying that no such discussion had taken place within the party.
Asif, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said that a “media person” had hinted at the possibility of Dar becoming the interim leader, but that it was not based on any official confirmation.
“As per my understanding, Dar sahib has not expressed any wish [to become the caretaker prime minister], and nor have we had any such talk in our [party] meetings. There has been no such initiative because we alone do not have to make this decision,” he said at a local television channel.
Asif’s remarks came amid speculation that the PML-N leadership wanted to see Dar, a close aide of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, as the head of the caretaker government that will oversee the general elections due in July. Dar eldest son is married to Sharif’s daughter.
According to Pakistan’s constitution, the caretaker prime minister is to be chosen by the outgoing prime minister and the leader of the opposition in consultation with each other.
If they cannot reach an agreement within three days of the dissolution of the assembly, they must nominate two candidates each to a parliamentary committee, which then has to finalize one name within another three days.
If the committee also fails to do so, the matter goes to the Election Commission of Pakistan, which has to decide within two days.
Pakistan’s ruling coalition will dissolve parliament and hand over the reins to a caretaker government next month four days before it is constitutionally required to do so, in preparation for a general election by November. A caretaker government has 90 days in which to hold a general election when a government hands over power early.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a key ally in the ruling coalition, has already expressed its reservations over Dar’s candidacy, saying that a neutral person would be more suitable for the post.
Asif agreed with the PPP’s stance, saying that political ethics demanded that a non-partisan person should be appointed for an office that required impartiality.
“There is no space for this in our law or our political arrangements,” he said. “We should not give an opportunity to people to point fingers [at us].”
Asif added that it would be “inappropriate” for a political figure who was so close to the party leadership to take up the caretaker prime minister’s office. “Whoever’s suggestion this is, I think they did not do the right thing.”
The defence minister clarified that he had not spoken to any party member on this issue and that these were his personal views.
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, another PML-N leader, said in a statement that the appointment of the caretaker prime minister and its announcement would be made in accordance with the procedure detailed in the Constitution.
“The prime minister will take guidance on this from PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and consult allies in the ruling coalition. The prime minister and leader of the opposition will complete this process through consultation, in line with the Constitution,” she said.
Earlier in the day, PPP leader Sherry Rehman also rejected reports that a name for the caretaker PM had been finalized, terming them “fake news”.
“No name [for the caretaker PM] has been shared with us … and neither has PPP made any decision regarding this,” she said in a news conference in Islamabad.
“No such agreement has been reached, no name has been finalized at least from our side,” she asserted. “We haven’t even floated any names.”
Rehman said her party had formed a three-member committee for consultation on the caretaker setup.
Reiterating that unbiasedness was one of the requirements of an election, she said, “We are inclined towards it.”
Rehman said her party had formed a three-member committee for consultation on the caretaker setup, but no decision had been taken yet.
“They will inform the party leadership of the [proposed] names, but no decision has been taken regarding this yet … It should be clear now that we have not settled on a name,” she said.
The PPP leader further said her party’s leadership had maintained that elections should be held on time, within the constitutional term, be it 60 days or 90 days.
“We believe it will be better for the country and its stability,” she said.
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