Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to become temporary prime minister as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) mobilizes to persuade coalition partners.
Ishaq Dar, the current finance minister, is a close supporter of former Prime Minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
The PML-N has begun lobbying the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a coalition partner in the Centre, to support Ishaq Dar’s nomination for caretaker prime minister.
According to sources, the finance minister’s name came up during a meeting between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
According to PML-N sources, negotiations will continue in order to obtain an agreement on a name for the caretaker PM.
Meanwhile, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told a private news channel that Ishaq Dar or anybody else might be appointed caretaker prime minister if the government and opposition agree.
Ahsan Iqbal said it would be premature to speak further on the topic, emphasising that agreement on the nominee was required from the coalition parties in the government and the opposition.
The National Assembly’s term is slated to expire on August 12, and discussions are underway among government members about the details of the interim setup.
It is worth noting that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif appointed a five-member discussion committee to finalize issues concerning the caretaker government and general elections.
Ishaq Dar, the current finance minister, is a close supporter of former Prime Minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
The PML-N has begun lobbying the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a coalition partner in the Centre, to support Ishaq Dar’s nomination for caretaker prime minister.
According to sources, the finance minister’s name came up during a meeting between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
According to PML-N sources, negotiations will continue in order to obtain an agreement on a name for the caretaker PM.
The committee has been tasked with holding discussions with coalition parties such as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), and others.
The premier also requested that the coalition parties form conversation committees. The PML-N’s dialogue committee will maintain touch with Nawaz Sharif. According to sources, the coalition partners will hold talks on the caretaker setup.
PM Shehbaz Sharif declared earlier this month in his speech to the nation that the present government will hand over power to a caretaker setup in August 2023.
PM Shehbaz Sharif stated that he will take office in April 2022 and pass power over to a caretaker government in August 2023.
ECP ready for general elections
The secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said yesterday that the country is fully prepared to hold general elections.
Omar Hamid Khan, during an informal interaction with journalists outside the ECP headquarters, stated that the commission is completely prepared to hold general elections. “Four months will be required for new delimitations if new census results are approved.”
If the federal government approves new census findings, the ECP secretary stated that they will make a judgment in accordance with the law.
“We sent over 60 recommendations to the electoral reforms committee.” The electoral reforms committee adopted almost all of the ECP’s proposals.”
“However, the formal announcement for the acceptance of the recommendations is yet to be made,” the secretary stated.
ECP Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal told the media that if assemblies are dissolved on August 12, the commission will organize general elections by October 11.
