Hafeez Shaikh included in candidates shortlisted for caretaker PM: Sanaullah

With the government all set to dissolve the National Assembly on August 9, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday confirmed that the name of former finance minister Hafeez Shaikh is also shortlisted for the slot of caretaker prime minister, besides other candidates.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly announced that the National Assembly would be dissolved on August 9, just three days before the lower house of parliament’s term is scheduled to expire.

The current assembly’s tenure will end on August 12 and if it completes its stipulated time then elections will be held within 60 days. However, the Constitution states that the polls must be held within 90 days if the assembly is dissolved before the completion of its tenure.

Speaking during Geo News' programme "Naya Pakistan", the security czar said that name of a retired Supreme Court judge is also included in the list of candidates shortlisted for the coveted post.

“Name for the interim prime minister will be finalised by Tuesday or Wednesday (August 8 or 9),” he added.

Responding to a question, the federal minister said that the names of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s names are not included in the list.

Sources privy to the matter claimed that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former Punjab governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood’s name is also included in the list of shortlisted candidates.

The well-placed sources also said that the names of Mehmood, Abbasi and Shaikh are under consideration for the slot of the interim premier.

They further said that Aslam Bhutani and Fawad Hasan Fawad are also included in the race for the caretaker PM.

In April 2019, then-prime minister Imran Khan appointed Shaikh as the adviser on finance while accepting the resignation of former finance minister Asad Umar. Shaikh was given the portfolio of finance minister in December 2019.

The move came at a time of growing pressure with the rupee losing 30% of its value since the start of 2018, stirring sharp inflation.

Shaikh, a Pakistani political economist of international repute with over 30 years of experience, served as the finance minister from 2010 to 2013.

In 2012, he became an active member of the PPP and successfully contested in the 2012 Senate elections.

After leaving the government, Shaikh was a general partner of an international investment company, headquartered in New York, which set up a $1.38 billion fund for investments in Asia.

In March 2021, the then-PM Khan removed him from the post of finance minister and Hammad Azhar was given an additional charge of the finance ministry.