PML-N wants Ishaq Dar as interim-PM

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is likely to become caretaker prime minister as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) becomes active to convince coalition parties in this regard, ARY News reported on Sunday, citing sources.

Ishaq Dar is the current finance minister and is considered to be a close ally of former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Sources told ARY News that the PML-N has become active to convince Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – a coalition partner in Centre – on Ishaq Dar’s name for caretaker prime minister.

Sources claimed that the finance minister’s name came under discussion during a meeting between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

PML-N sources also claimed that consultations will be continued to reach a consensus on a name for caretaker PM.

Meanwhile, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal – speaking to a private news channel – said Ishaq Dar, or anyone, could be the caretaker prime minister provided the government and opposition agreed.

Ahsan Iqbal said it would be premature to comment further on the matter, stressing again that consensus of the coalition parties in the government and the opposition was required on the candidate.

The tenure of the National Assembly is set to expire on August 12 and meetings are under way between the members of the government on the details of the interim set-up.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif had formed a five-member dialogue committee to finalise the matters related to the caretaker set-up and general elections.

The committee members include Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and Ishaq Dar.

The committee has been tasked to hold talks with the coalition parties including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and others.

The premier also asked the coalition parties to constitute dialogue committees. The PML-N’s dialogue committee will stay in contact with the supremo Nawaz Sharif. Sources added that the coalition partners will hold consultations on the caretaker set-up.

Earlier in the month, PM Shehbaz Sharif announced in his address to the nation that the incumbent government will hand over power to the caretaker set-up in August 2023.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that he assumed the prime minister’s office in April 2022 and power will be handed over to the caretaker set-up in August 2023.

‘ECP ready for general elections’

Yesterday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary announced that they are fully ready to hold general elections in the country.

READ: Electoral reforms: ‘Consensus reached on Election Act amendments’

During an informal conversation with journalists outside the ECP headquarters, Omar Hamid Khan said that the commission is fully ready to hold general elections. “Four months will be required for new delimitations if new census results are approved.”

The ECP secretary said that they will make a decision in accordance with the law if new census results are approved by the federal government.

“We forwarded more than 60 recommendations to the electoral reforms committee. Almost all of ECP’s recommendations were accepted by the electoral reforms committee.”

“However, the formal announcement for the acceptance of the recommendations is yet to be made,” the secretary said.

ECP Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal told the media that the commission would hold general elections by October 11 if assemblies are dissolved on August 12.