PML-N reveals two names for caretaker Punjab CM

After Punjab's outgoing Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi revealed three names for the post of caretaker CM in the province, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also sent its two names to Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman Tuesday, rejecting the former's suggestions.

Names of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Ahad Cheema and senior journalist Mohsin Naqvi have been sent to the governor by PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz.

As per the party’s statement, Shehbaz has nominated PML-N member Malik Ahmad Khan to hold consultation on the names for the interim chief minister.

It also added that the "PML-N doesn’t agree with the names sent by the outgoing Chief Minister Elahi".

Two days earlier, CM Elahi revealed the three names for a caretaker CM, which were agreed upon after consultation with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The three names shared by the chief minister included Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, Naseer Ahmed Khan and Nasir Mahmood Khosa. It is likely that one of the three names would be finalised, he added.

The provincial chief executive further said on his official Twitter handle, "We are sending these names to the [Punjab] governor and if the opposition thinks broadly, the agreement upon the suggested names seems likely."

'Someone in the media has joked'

Taking a jibe at the two names proposed by the PML-N, PTI Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry said that his party has not received names from the Nawaz Sharif-led party. “Maybe someone in the media has joked,” he said.

The PTI leader said that Cheema is co-accused with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) case, while Naqvi is behind everything. “These two names cannot be discussed,” the politician said.

Commenting on the possibility of a no-confidence motion against PM Shehbaz which the PTI chief has demanded, Fawad claimed that several PML-N members will be absent during the vote of no-confidence.

“Given the PML-N’s current situation, Rana Sanaullah will have to sacrifice Punjab’s presidentship,” the PTI politician said, hinting at the potential tensions within the ruling party in the centre as a result of CM Elahi’s vote of confidence in the provincial assembly.