Today is a historic day, Nawaz’s response to govt completing tenure

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif spoke to reporters on Thursday during a break in the proceedings of the Al-Azizia reference case.

In response to a reporter’s question about the government completing its five-year tenure, Nawaz responded that today was a historic day and such a day had never come before. The former prime minister also added that on this day he had more than 80 appearances before the court.

This is the first time in Pakistan’s history a second consecutive democratic government is completing its tenure.

The five-year tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government will end at midnight (Thursday). After the National Assembly is dissolved, a caretaker government will oversee matters before the general elections scheduled on July 25.

The government and opposition have already named former chief justice Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk as the caretaker prime minister.

Nawaz did not respond but smiled when he was asked if Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan had taken a U-turn on the matter of the caretaker Punjab chief minister.

Earlier on Thursday, former bureaucrat Nasir Mahmood Khosa announced he would not to take charge as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab, a day after PTI withdrew his name as the candidate for the post.

Khosa was named as the caretaker Punjab chief minister on Monday after the provincial government and opposition were said to have reached a consensus on the candidate. However, two days later on Wednesday, the Imran Khan-led PTI withdrew support for his candidature.

Khosa told Geo News that he has decided not to assume charge as the caretaker chief minister in light of the recent controversy surrounding his candidature.