PM Abbasi, opposition leader discuss caretaker setup

ISLAMABAD: With general elections a few months away, leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to discuss the caretaker setup.

The meeting between the premier and the opposition leader took place at the Prime Minister House in the federal capital, ARY News reports.

This is the third meeting between the government and opposition to discuss and reach to a consensus over the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi also met the opposition leader, Khursheed Shah, at his chamber in the Parliament House today to discuss the caretaker government and the political situation of the country.

PTI leader Shireen Mazari was also present during the meeting.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Shah said efforts are underway to appoint a person of impeccable credentials as caretaker prime minister to ensure smooth conduct of the coming elections.

He said the opposition allies have yet not suggested any names for the caretaker prime minister, adding that the PPP would also disclose the names after a party meeting.

The premier in a statement had earlier said  a caretaker premier should be a person, who remains undisputed and non-controversial, and whose past is clear.

Chief of Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Sirajul Haq had earlier mooted a proposal, seeking prominent scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan as caretaker prime minister of Pakistan for the upcoming general elections of 2018.

He said: “The Jamaat has okayed and forwarded the name of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan for the slot of caretaker prime minister of Pakistan.”