PML-N to nominate Ishaq Dar as interim PM

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to nominate Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar as the interim prime minister, sources told Geo News on Sunday.

Sources told Geo News that the government committee formed on the matter is taking all other political parties in confidence on Dar’s appointment as caretaker PM.

Earlier today, The News reported that PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) top leadership were in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a huddle.

The report stated that it was likely that the PML-N and PPP leaderships will consult on who the caretaker prime minister will be once the government dissolves the National Assembly at the start of August.

Kundi says PPP leadership to decide on interim setup

On the other hand, Central PPP Secretary Information Faisal Karim Kundi clarified that his party has not received Dar’s name for the interim PM slot.

“If Ishaq Dar’s name comes in the future then there can be consultations,” Kundi told Geo News. He added that the PPP leadership will decide on the interim setup.

“Like PML-N other parties have to also hold consultations on interim setup. There is consultation going on within the party on interim PM but no name has been finalsied,” said the PPP leader, who is also an special assistant to prime minister. He added that they will make an announcement as soon as a name is finalised. 

Dar could be appointed if there is consensus: Iqbal

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal stated during Geo News show “Naya Pakistan”, that if there is agreement on Dar’s name across the board then he could be appointed the caretaker PM.

However, he had said that no decision has been taken yet, in front of him, on the appointment of an interim PM.

“Whatever decision is taken, the cabinet will be taken into confidence,” said Iqbal. However, he assured that there will be an agreement on a caretaker prime minister’s appointment in the last week of the government's tenure as the standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) needs to be implemented.

As per the planning minister, a three-year program will have to be made with the IMF in the future and there is a need for a stable government that has a five-year mandate.

“My personal opinion is that we should go through the elections as soon as possible so that a stable government comes and takes the country out of the economic difficulties,” said Iqbal.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a five-member committee of the PML-N to hold consultations on the selection of a caretaker premier and dissolution of the National Assembly, The News reported.

Though the provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan will also be dissolved along with the National Assembly next month, the panel has no members from outside Punjab.

The committee comprising federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Muhammad Asif, has been tasked to undertake consultations with the political parties and groups which constitute the incumbent government.

With the formation of the committee, the consultation process has gained full swing for the immediate future setup of administration in the country.

According to constitutional provisions, the PM, as leader of the House, and the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly were to initiate consultations. Their failure could refer the matter to a parliamentary committee, which is supposed to be constituted by the NA speaker.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will be the final authority to pick the caretaker prime minister if the parliamentary committee too fails in selecting a caretaker PM.

Interestingly, the political parties and groups outside the parliament have not been taken on board for any such consideration by the government. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi urged the other day that his party should also be taken into the loop for the upcoming elections and relevant arrangements, claiming to be a major stakeholder, but the government ignored his plea.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz Ahmad had planned a meeting with the premier on August 1 for initial consultations for selecting the caretaker PM.