'Pak former FM Hafeez among candidates shortlisted for caretaker PM'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday revealed that former finance minister Hafeez Shaikh is also shortlisted for the post of Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly announced that the National Assembly will be dissolved on August 9, three days before the lower house of parliament’s term is scheduled to expire.

Speaking during the Geo News programme "Naya Pakistan", Sanaullah said that the name of the retired Supreme Court judge is also included in the list of candidates shortlisted for the post of Pakistan's caretaker PM.

He further said, "Name for the interim prime minister will be finalised by Tuesday or Wednesday (August 8 or 9)." Sanaullah said that the names of Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s names are not included in the list.

The current assembly's tenure is scheduled to end on August 12. If the assembly completes its stipulated time, then the polls will be held within 60 years. However, the Constitution states that the elections must be held within 90 days if the assembly is dissolved before the completion of the term.

Sources aware of the matter said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former Punjab Governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood’s name is also included in the list of shortlisted candidates, Geo News reported.

According to the sources, the names of Mehmood, Abbasi and Shaikh are being considered for Pakistan's interim Prime Minister. The sources further said that Aslam Bhutani and Fawad Hasan Fawad are also included in the race for Pakistan's caretaker PM.

In April 2019, Pakistan's then-Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Shaikh as the advisor on finance while accepting the resignation of former finance minister Asad Umar. Shaikh was given the portfolio of finance minister in December 2019.

Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while attending a dinner told the allied partners that the National Assembly will be dissolved prematurely on August 9, three days before the tenure ends, Geo News reported.

In his remarks at the dinner on Thursday, Shehbaz Sharif said that he faced unprecedented challenges including economic difficulties, cumbersome talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), disastrous floods, hyperinflation, and political chaos after the formation of the PDM government, according to the report. He said, "Imran Niazi and his gang created political chaos with their baseless accusations, riots and long marches."

Shehbaz Sharif said, "No country could make progress without political stability," adding politics of Pakistan was poisoned with the culture of baseless allegations and abuse. Shehbaz Sharif thanked the coalition partners and his party leadership including Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl and others for their support and for showing confidence in him in the Pakistan National Assembly, according to the report.