ECP to decide name of caretaker Punjab CM today

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will hold a consultative meeting today (Sunday) over the nomination of caretaker Punjab chief minister, ARY News reported.

The matter of the appointment of the Punjab caretaker chief minister reached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after the parliamentary committee failed to reach a consensus.

A meeting of ECP chaired by CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja will be held at 6pm today.

The election commission will decide on the name of the caretaker chief minister of the province within two days and will notify it by Sunday night.

The PTI-PML-Q alliance had suggested Naveed Akram Cheema and Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera’s names for the caretaker CM’s slot, whereas the opposition tabled the names of Mohsin Naqvi and Ahad Cheema.

Sources told ARY News that Naveed Akram Cheema – the nominated candidate of outgoing Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi – refused to be part of the Punjab caretaker set-up after being contacted by the PML-N.

The parliamentary committee, comprises of the government and the opposition members, failed to reach a consensus on the name for the caretaker Punjab chief minister slot on Friday.

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

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 office.

He regretted that the matter related to the caretaker Punjab CM cannot be resolved on the political level.

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