PML-N unveils two names for interim Punjab chief minister

• "These two names cannot be discussed," says Fawad Chaudhry.
• Hamza Shahbaz sends names for governor's consideration.
• Parvez Elahi has also sent three different names for interim CM post.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Tuesday sent two names to Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman for the post of the province’s caretaker chief minister, rejecting the three names suggested by Parvez Elahi.

PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz has sent the names of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Ahad Cheema and senior journalist Mohsin Naqvi to the governor for consideration.

To hold a further consultation on the caretaker CM’s appointment, Shehbaz has nominated PML-N member Malik Ahmad Khan, as per the party’s statement.

It also added that the "PML-N doesn’t agree with the names sent by the outgoing Chief Minister Elahi".

Two days earlier, CM Elahi revealed the three names for a caretaker CM, which were agreed upon after consultation with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The three names shared by the chief minister included Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, Naseer Ahmed Khan and Nasir Mahmood Khosa. It is likely that one of the three names would be finalised, he added.

The provincial chief executive further said on his official Twitter handle, "We are sending these names to the [Punjab] governor and if the opposition thinks broadly, the agreement upon the suggested names seems likely."

'These two names can't be discussed'

Taking a jibe at the two names proposed by the PML-N, PTI Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry said that his party has not received names from the Nawaz Sharif-led party. “Maybe someone in the media has joked,” he said.

The PTI leader said that Cheema is co-accused with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) case, while Naqvi is behind everything. “These two names cannot be discussed,” the politician said.

Commenting on the possibility of a no-confidence motion against PM Shehbaz which the PTI chief has demanded, Fawad claimed that several PML-N members will be absent during the vote of no-confidence.

“Given the PML-N’s current situation, Rana Sanaullah will have to sacrifice Punjab’s presidentship,” the PTI politician said, hinting at the potential tensions within the ruling party in the centre as a result of CM Elahi’s vote of confidence in the provincial assembly.