In a meeting scheduled for today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition Raja Riaz will discuss and decide on the name of the Caretaker PM for the upcoming elections in Pakistan. This individual will lead the interim government and oversee the electoral process.
Following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the farewell session in the National Assembly, the 15th National Assembly of Pakistan will be dissolved. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will then submit a summary to President Dr Arif Alvi to effect this dissolution.
The question of who will serve as the Caretaker PM during the elections has sparked speculation across the country. The decision on whether the caretaker prime minister will be a bureaucrat or a politician will likely be made during the meeting between PM Shehbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riaz.
Government sources indicate that a bureaucrat is currently the frontrunner for the position of caretaker prime minister.
The names of Ishaq Dar, Hafeez Sheikh, and Justice Shakeel Baloch, among others, have emerged as potential candidates for the interim premier’s position. Hafeez Sheikh, a former finance minister of Pakistan, is also being considered for a key portfolio in the upcoming caretaker setup.
The prime minister and the opposition leader must reach a consensus on the appointment within three days. If they fail to do so, a parliamentary body will decide the matter within the next three days. If a deadlock persists, the election commission will announce the name of the caretaker prime minister within the following two days.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denied the finalization of any candidate, stating in an interview that the selection process, including consultations with government allies and party members, was ongoing and would be completed within a day or two.
Defence Minister and PML-N stalwart Khawaja Asif recently claimed that someone not among the shortlisted names could be appointed as the caretaker prime minister. Asif also mentioned the active participation of opposition leader Raja Riaz in the nomination process.
He further stated that the decision would be finalized on Wednesday (today) and noted that many individuals were interested in becoming the caretaker PM, possibly due to the potential extension of the caretaker setup’s tenure.
Asif believes that the general elections should be held in the first quarter of 2024.