Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ruled out the appointment of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as the caretaker Prime Minister, Dawn reported.
He made these remarks on a Geo News programme on July 30, amid widespread speculations of Ishaq Dar being appointed as the interim PM.
Shehbaz Sharif stressed that a “neutral person” would be selected to lead the interim set-up to make upcoming general elections “transparent”.
“A neutral person should be appointed to this position so that no one could question the elections’ results,” Dawn quoted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as saying.
He added that the caretaker set-up would be agreed upon, after consultation with allied parties, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, and the leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz.
“I assure you there will be a very efficient interim Government at the Centre,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif added.
Notably, a bill to empower the caretaker set-up to take policy decisions was recently passed by the parliament, Dawn reported.
Shehbaz Sharif further said that he would dissolve the National Assembly a few days before the expiry of his Government’s term on August 12, which would allow the ECP to conduct polls within 90 days.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had no intention to delay elections, not even on the issue of the new census. “If notification regarding the new census is issued and even if the new census is notified, it would be up to the Election Commission of Pakistan to handle the issue,” Dawn quoted Shehbaz Sharif as saying.
He said his party would make adjustments with any other political party, including PPP and JUI-F, for polls, adding that the ruling PML-N will field its own candidates where there will be no need for seat adjustment.
(with inputs from ANI)
