Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Raja Riaz on Thursday held first meeting to reach a consensus on selecting a name for the caretaker prime minister.
The consultation between the two became due after the dissolution of the National Assembly on Wednesday night with President Arif Alvi's approval of the summary sent by PM Shehbaz .
“The president dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the prime minister under Article 58-1 of the Constitution,” read an official statement issued by the President’s Office.
As per the constitution, the prime minister had invited the opposition leader to a meeting regarding the appointment of the caretaker prime minister.
The meeting to consult the name of the caretaker prime minister was held in a cordial environment, said a press release issued by the Prime Minister Office.
Later, talking to the media in Islamabad, Raja Riaz said that he shared his names for the coveted slot with the prime minister and vice versa.
The outgoing opposition leader in NA said that the meeting with the Prime Minister was held in a cordial and conducive environment and they, at length, exchanged views over the subject matter.
He said that the caretaker premier will be nominated with consensus in consultation with Shehbaz Sharif.
"It has been agreed that we will ponder upon the names forwarded by both of us," Raja Riaz said.
He further said a second round of talks will be held tomorrow (Friday) to finalise a suitable person as caretaker prime minister of the country.
With the dissolution of the lower house of parliament, the federal cabinet also stood dissolved.
In his farewell address to the NA on Wednesday, PM Shehbaz said that said that he would meet Opposition Leader Raja Riaz on Thursday (today) to hold a consultation to finalise the name of the interim prime minister.
If the prime minister and opposition leader fail to agree on the name within three days, the matter will go to the parliamentary committee for the appointment of a caretaker PM.
As per the law, the premier and the opposition leader will send their respective preferences for the coveted post to the parliamentary committee.
The parliamentary committee will have to finalise the name of the caretaker PM within three days and if it too failed to reach a consensus on the name, then the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will pick the caretaker prime minister within two days from the names proposed by the opposition and the government.
Under the law, elections should be held within 90 days of NA's dissolution.
However, after the Council of Common Interests (CCI) approved new census results, ECP is required to carry out fresh delimitation that may take three to four months.
It is pertinent to mention that three names have been proposed for the office of caretaker PM, including, former diplomat Jalil Abbas Jilani and former chief justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jilani sent by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
However, there's no public announcement by the Pakistan Mulsim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in this regard.
Other names who are under consideration for the slot include, former finance minister Ishaq Dar, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former caretaker prime minister Mohammad Mian Soomro are also under consideration.