Last day for MPs panel to select caretaker prime minister

ISLAMABAD: With the deadlock persisting over the caretaker prime minister, who will oversee general elections to be held in May, the parliamentary committee has one day left to select a name for the post out of four nominees.

The Election Commission of Pakistan would decide the issue within two days after the committee fails in hammering out consensus.

The eight member committee having equal representation from the treasury and opposition benches on Thursday met for the second day but could not evolve consensus over a nominee out of four names for the coveted post.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Chief Nawaz Sharif says the decision would ultimately be taken by the Election Committee, expressing the hope the caretaker prime minister would be Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid, a nominee of the PML-N.

Both the sides have objected to the nominees submitted by them with the Pakistan People’s Party expressing reservations on Nasir Aslam Zahid and the PML-N criticizing Dr Ishrat Hussain.

The PPP said Nasir Aslm Zahid was close to the Shairf family while allegation of murder of his brother-in-law was leveled on its cochairman Asif Ali Zardari.

While the PML-N says one of Ishrat Hussain’s relatives Khalil was a close friend of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Both the sides are expected to corroborate their claims and allegations against both the nominees on the last day of their meeting.

Members of the parliamentary committee formed under article 224-A of the Constitution had expressed the hope that the matter would not go in the Election Commission.