Former CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry calls for appointment of acting PM to avoid crisis

ISLAMABAD: Former Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Saturday called for appointment of an acting prime minister to avoid what he said would be a “constitutional crisis” in the absence of Nawaz Sharif who is to undergo a heart surgery in London next week.

Speaking to media, Iftikhar Chaudhry said the prime minister could not transfer his powers to a senior member of his cabinet.

He said any notification allowing Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to perform duties of the premier would be in violation of the constitution.

“A senior judge is appointed as acting chief justice when chief justice is on a foreign trip and Senate chairman is appointed as acting president when president leaves the country for a foreign trip,” he added.

He said a constitutional provision that allowed senior ministers to discharge duties in the absence of the prime minister was removed in the 8th amendment.

Iftikhar Chaudhry prayed for speedy recovery of Prime Minister Nawaz from his illness.

— File photo by Online