Politician should be appointed caretaker PM: Kaira

ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Monday that Premier Shehbaz Sharif had started consultations with coalition partners on appointing interim setup.

Speaking at a private TV programme Kaira said a politician should be appointed as caretaker prime minister of the country. He said the prime minister would consult the opposition leader after deliberations with coalition partners.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a couple of days ago had announced that the government would hand over the reins to the interim rulers next month before the completion of the assembly’s tenure. The senior PPP leader said that political offices could be run only by politicians as this was their job. He said the most elevated political office of the country was that of the prime minister. “If a judge, general, bureaucrat, technocrat, journalist or any corporate sector employee is appointed to it then it will be a disgrace to the post and cannot work. Can I be appointed if a seat of a judge in a high court or the Supreme Court is vacant. How will I be able to do justice there,” he asked.

Kaira said the PM’s Office had many responsibilities and political people should be appointed as prime minister, ministers or chief ministers. These posts should not go to others. The early dissolution of the National Assembly which is completing its tenure on August 12 at midnight will give the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) 90 days to fix a date for the election. If the assembly completes its tenure the ECP is bound to hold polls in 60 days.