Abbasi suggests to Shah retired judge should not be appointed caretaker PM: sources

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday suggested to Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah that the caretaker prime minister should not be a retired judge, said sources.  

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah met with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the Prime Minister House earlier today to mull over the caretaker government, which will take over after PML-N completes its tenure in May.

According to sources, the premier suggested that the opposition should nominate a bureaucrat or a technocrat for the position. 

Abbasi, in the meeting, said that in case the opposition parties fail to name a candidate, Shah should do so. He further added that if any opposition parties disagree with the candidates suggested by the Sha, the latter should still recommend names for the position as the Constitution allows the opposition leader to do so. 

The premier further said that the matter of the caretaker prime minister's appointment should not be taken to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Shah assured Abbasi of complete cooperation to reach a consensus on the matter, sources added.

Following the meeting with premier, Shah met with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the chambers of the Parliament House.

Opposition yet to submit name for caretaker PM: Khursheed Shah

Opposition leader said that he will hold his second meeting with PM over the matter on April 11

Shah took Qureshi into confidence over his meeting with the prime minister. He said that the opposition should start finalising their names for the post of caretaker PM.

The meeting was also attended by Shireen Mazari and PPP's Naveed Qamar.

The current government is expected to conclude its five-year term on May 31, after which the caretaker government will take over to hold the general elections, which are expected to be held in the last week of July or first week of August.

As per the Constitution of Pakistan, the caretaker prime minister is appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the opposition leader in the National Assembly.

Both the premier and the opposition leader then present names of three nominees each from which the consensus candidate is appointed as the caretaker prime minister.

The prime responsibility of the caretaker government is to ensure that the elections are held in a transparent manner.