ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi discussed the appointment of a caretaker government with the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khurshid Ahmed Shah, on Wednesday.
Abbasi was holding his first formal consultations with Shah at the Prime Minister’s office.
“They discussed the issues of appointment of a caretaker government, besides matters of national interest,” said a brief statement by the PM’s office after the meeting.
The proposed names for the possible caretaker as a prime minister were not shared with the media.
The present government’s five-year tenure will end by May 31, 2018.
According to the country’s constitution the sitting government, with the consultation of the leader of opposition in the National Assembly, can nominate the caretaker prime minister.
But if prime minister and leader of the opposition fail to agree on any name, an eight-member parliamentary committee with an equal number of representation has to choose the caretaker prime minister.
And in case of stalemate at the parliamentary committee, the Election Commission of Pakistan will decide who will lead the caretaker government.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s election panel has imposed a ban on new job appointments in all government departments before the forthcoming general election.
According to a statement issued by the election commission on Wednesday, all federal and provincial authorities have been directed to firmly observe the restrictions.
The commission said the ban on new jobs is aimed to ensure transparency in the general elections.
