Justice Arshad Hussain Shah has been appointed as the caretaker chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the death of former CM Azam Khan. The decision was made after consultations between Mahmood and opposition leader Akram Khan Durrani, and will be sent to the governor for approval. The appointment has stirred a legal debate as to the procedure for appointing a new caretaker CM in the absence of explicit constitutional provisions. Some legal minds believe that the mechanism provided in Articles 224 and 224-A can be adopted, while others argue that the Senate should decide in an emergency situation. The situation has further complicated as the then CM Mahmood Khan has left the ruling party. Constitutional lawyers and senior lawyers believe that the burden will now be on courts to interpret the constitutional provisions in this unprecedented case. Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, however, stated that there is no room for speculation and that the governor, chief secretary and provincial government shall carry out their duties accordingly.