ISLAMABAD: With only one day left to go before the dissolution of the incumbent National Ass­embly, the ruling coalition seems to have evolved a consensus on the name for the caretaker prime min­ister’s slot, but it is keeping their identity a secret, ostensibly to save the nominee from controversy.

The prime minister and the opposition leader can consult on the matter for three days, even after the dissolution of the assembly. In case a consensus is not reached, then the matter is referred to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz is also expected to meet National Assembly Opposition Lea­der Raja Riaz on Tuesday or Wednesday to “finalise” the name for the slot.

Sources claimed that a decision on the caretaker has been “finalised”. How­ever, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, during an appearance on a TV channel, claimed that no name has been finalised so far.

He claimed a politician, who was not associated with any political party, could also become the caretaker PM.

Separately, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said during a TV appearance that the PPP had not shared any names with the premier so far. However, insiders say that the PPP has shared three names for the coveted post with the prime minister.

Meetings with MQM, PPP leaders

On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held separate meetings with MQM leadership and PPP leader Yousaf Raza Gilani. MQM delegation led by Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui proposed the name of Governor Kamran Tessori for the caretaker prime minister, said a press release issued by the MQM headquarters.

The members of the delegation thanked the prime minister for addressing their party’s reservations on the seventh digital census and for the incorporation of their suggestions.

Earlier, the prime minister met former prime minister and incumbent Senator Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and his son Ali Musa Gilani. On the occasion, the prime minister said without the support of allies, the government could “never have done the difficult task of reviving the country’s economy alone”.

Speculation

Amid reports that Dr Hafeez Sheikh could become the caretaker prime minister, Mr Sanaullah said the name of Dr Sheikh’s has not been agreed upon.

As speculations grow, the former finance minister is said to be the strongest contender. Mr Sheikh is one of the technocrats who is believed to be acceptable to all mainstream political parties and his name is always considered whenever an interim government is installed in the country.

He was first brought into government by military dictator Pervez Musharraf as privatisation minister, then served as finance minister in the PPP (2012-13) and PTI governments (2020-21) too. He also had been a member of the Senate from 2003 to 2006, 2006-2012, and then again from 2012 and 2018.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2023