Nasir Khosa announces to not assume charge as Punjab caretaker CM

LAHORE: Former bureaucrat Nasir Mahmood Khosa announced on Thursday he would not to take charge as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab, a day after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf withdrew his name as the candidate for the post. 

Khosa was named as the caretaker Punjab chief minister on Monday after the provincial government and opposition were said to have reached a consensus on the candidate. However, two days later on Wednesday the Imran Khan-led PTI withdrew support for his candidature.

Khosa told Geo News that he has decided not to assume charge as the caretaker chief minister in light of the recent controversy surrounding his candidature.

“I was made controversial in the media [after withdrawal of support] for my candidature for Punjab CM. Given the [current situation], I have decided not to [take charge] as the chief minister,” he said.

Khosa labeled the propaganda against him as “baseless” and regretted that it would have been better if he had been consulted before his name was first put forward for the position.

The caretaker chief minister should have full backing of all political parties in order to ensure transparent elections, he added.

PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry told Geo News that Khosa's name was withdrawn because public opinion was not in favour of the candidate.

"We respect him and he is an honourable person, however, a candidate should not be controversial and at this time Nasir Khosa's candidature is not appropriate," said Chaudhry.

Admitting that the PTI had made a “mistake”, Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mehmoodur Rasheed said that discussion in public circles and within the party suggested that Khosa was a PML-N affiliate, which was why his name had been withdrawn.

PPP, PML-N slam PTI for withdrawing Khosa's name

Various political circles slammed PTI for withdrawing Nasir Khosa's name for caretaker Punjab CM. 

Pakistan Peoples Party's Qamar Zaman Kaira said the PTI's seriousness could be judged from its inability to stand by its decision on the caretaker chief minister candidate.

"These people [PTI leaders] claim they will make a new Pakistan, what kind of changes will they bring?" questioned the PPP lawmaker.

Federal Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb labeled the decision as yet another "U-turn". 

"Withdrawing Nasir Khosa's name for the caretaker chief minister is another U-turn," she said, adding that PTI's actions and decisions were based on lies and U-turns.

Profile

Nasir Khosa is the Alternate Executive Director from Pakistan representing Afghanistan, Algeria, Ghana, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, and Tunisia.

Born in Dera Ghazi Khan, he served as chief secretary in both Punjab and Balochistan, with his tenure in the former extending to over two years with Shehbaz Sharif as the chief minister.

He belongs to the sixth common batch of the Pakistan Administrative Service.

Khosa also served as Deputy Commissioner, Faisalabad, and Lahore, Commissioner Lahore, Additional Secretary Finance, Additional Secretary Agriculture and Food and Principal Secretary to the Punjab governor.

He was also the principal secretary under former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2013.