Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah says the names of ex-finance minister Hafeez Shaikh and a former Supreme Court judge have been shortlisted among others for the caretaker Prime Minister (PM). He said name of the caretaker premier would turn up by Tuesday (tomorrow), adding Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are not in the run. Hafeez Shaikh had served as the finance minister the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal government. However, he was removed from this slot in March 2021. The PTI pitched Sheikh against the former PM and senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party Yousaf Raza Gillani for Senate seat, however, Sheikh lost the contest.

 During an interview with a local news channel, Rana Sana said a ‘neutral’ person would be the caretaker prime minister having no political association. Talking about name of Dar for an interim premier, the interior minister said when his (Dar) name was taking round in the media, that time it was decided that an apolitical person would be selected for the caretaker PM slot. He said the names of Dar, Abbasi and Raza Rabbani could be considered if any decision was made to allow any political person to be picked for the PM slot.

 When asked whether Shaikh was ready to become the caretaker PM, the minister said: “Definitely, he must be.” Name of former chief justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jilani is circulating in the media among those persons those are being considered as caretaker PM. Rana Sana hinted that elections could be delayed by 120 days as constituencies would now have to be redrawn under the new census and it was demand of all political parties and provinces that coming general elections should be held according to the new census.

There will be no harm if the elections date is extended for a month or two. There is no problem if polls are held in February-March next year, the minister said. Ruling allies repose trust in PM Shehbaz for selecting caretaker PM During a meeting on August 4, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and other coalition partners put their faith in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in nomination of the caretaker prime minister.

 The government has paced up consultation to finalise the caretaker setup as it has decided to prematurely dissolve the National Assembly on Aug 9. A day earlier, PM Shehbaz told the allies at a dinner hosted by him in the federal capital that the assembly would be dissolved on Aug 9. He added that the decision about the caretaker prime minister would be taken in consultation with Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and before that he would consult all allied parties.

Sources said the premier chaired a meeting of the allied parties, wherein they reposed trust in him for finalisation of a name for the caretaker PM slot. They said the prime minister could nominate any suitable person for the slot. The ruling coalition also asked him to hold consultation on the names recommended by the opposition leader for the position. Meanwhile, the names of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, independent lawmaker from Balochistan Aslam Bhootani and Hafeez Shaikh are making the rounds as candidates for the caretaker prime minister.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)