Caretaker Punjab CM: Govt, opposition fail to reach consensus

LAHORE: The parliamentary committees of the government and the opposition have failed to reach a consensus on the name for the caretaker Punjab chief minister (CM) slot, ARY News reported on Friday.

Earlier, Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan confirmed that he has received four names from the government and the opposition for the caretaker CM slot. He reached both sides to reach a consensus on the name for the caretaker Punjab CM.

While talking to the media, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Raja Basharat said that the opposition lawmakers did not show agreement with the names recommended by the government.

He said that PTI lawmakers raised objections to the opposition’s names of those people who are facing high-profile cases. Basharat said that the matter related to the appointment of the caretaker CM will now be referred to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

READ: PA SPEAKER CONFIRMS RECEIVING FOUR NAMES FOR CARETAKER CM

He said that the ECP will decide on a name from four candidates for the slot. He hoped that the commission will decide on a name on the basis of merit.

PTI leader Mian Aslam Iqbal said that they want to make an eligible person caretaker Punjab CM. He added that the names recommended by the government have experience of running the provinces for 90 days.

While addressing a press conference, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Malik Ahmed Khan said that the persons recommended by the government are ineligible for the caretaker Punjab CM’s slot.

He expressed sorrow that the matter related to the caretaker Punjab CM cannot be resolved on the political level as the government and the opposition failed to reach a consensus.

Khan said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had been used to target political opponents during Imran Khan-led government. He said that Ahad Cheema was an eligible candidate but he became a political victim of NAB during Imran Khan-led government.

READ: PARLIAMENTARY BODY FORMED TO FINALISE CARETAKER PUNJAB CM

Malik Ahmed Khan claimed that they rejected Naseer Khan for being a dual national, while, PTI showed personal favour towards Mohsin Naqvi.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Hassan Murtaza alleged that the government sent their lawmakers to follow the dictation of their top leadership. PML-N leader Malik Nadeem Kamran alleged that Pervaiz Elahi showed lack of confidence on his own parliamentary committee.

Following the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, the government and opposition sides met to finalise the name for the caretaker CM.

After failing to reach consensus, the matter related to the nomination of Punjab’s caretaker CM will be referred to the election commission.