News
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Opp rejects all names by govt for interim PM* Nisar phones Raja to tell persons proposed by him not suitable to become caretaker PM
* Withdraws name of Justice (r) Shakirullah Jan from his list
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: While rejecting all the three names proposed by the government for the slot of caretaker prime minister, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also withdrew the name of Justice (r) Shakirullah Jan from his list that he had already sent to the prime minister.
Nisar talked to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on telephone on Friday to tell him that three persons proposed by him (the prime minister) were not suitable to become caretaker prime minister. The opposition leader also apprised the prime minister of his decision to withdraw the name of Justice (r) Shakirullah Jan out of the three names he proposed. Chaudhry Nisar later wrote a brief letter to the prime minister to convey him his decision to withdraw the name of Shakirullah Jan.
Now the names of Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid and veteran Sindhi politician Rasul Baksh Palejo are left on the PML-N list. Nisar told newsmen in his chamber that the opposition parties had not agreed to the government’s list and he was conveying the same to the prime minister. He said that during his telephonic conversation with the prime minister it was agreed that the process of consultation would continue and if consensus is not reached on proposed names then they could consider any new name.
He said if they did not reach any consensus then the matter would go to the parliamentary committee, and from the opposition side the names of Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Rasul Baksh Palejo would be sent to the committee. The parliamentary committee comprising four members each from the opposition and government would finalise one person within three days of dissolution of the National Assembly, failing which the matter would be decided by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
While rejecting the three names Nisar told the prime minister that Dr Ishrat Hussain was not acceptable. He told the prime minister that Justice (r) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso is not only an aged person but has also been very close to the slain former PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. While talking to newsmen the opposition leader reiterated that any personality being backed or sponsored by the international financial institutions would not be acceptable to them.
“No person with the backing of international financial institutions can become the caretaker prime minister,” he said. Nisar also maintained that the PML-N would not agree on any name for the caretaker prime minister not acceptable to other opposition parties. He pointed out that there would be no bargaining on names for the slots of caretaker prime minister and caretaker chief ministers in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. “The Punjab Assembly will be dissolved on its time on April 9 and not along with National Assembly and other provincial assembly if transparent caretaker setups are not brought in Balochistan and Sindh,” he declared.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk