Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will begin formal negotiations with main opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after Eid-ul-Fitr on the formation of a caretaker set-up, a constitutional requirement prior to general election, it is learnt.
According to sources, the timing of the next general election, caretaker prime minister and opposition leaders in Sindh and Balochistan assemblies would be key points under discussion. The sources added that the PPP-government wants more time and will drag the judicial process by as much as it possibly can with respect to ongoing proceedings in the Contempt of Court Act, 2012 and implementation of NRO verdict cases.
Sources privy to these developments insist that the PPP strategy is to seek delays but if the apex court does not grant delays to the government then Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf could unveil a roadmap for the next general election by the end of this month. President Asif Ali Zardari during the meeting of PPP Core Committee on Tuesday directed the party leadership to gear up preparations for general election. However, what is regarded as contradictory was the President's indication that general election would be held on time.
For caretaker set-up, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has telephoned Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. However, according to reports secret talks between the two parties over a caretaker set-up are underway, but both sides have vehemently denied it.
The PML-N sources said that formal talks would be held between Prime Minister and Opposition leader to discuss the issue and the issue of caretaker set-up will be decided in light of 20th Amendment. The 20th Amendment states: "In case the PM and the opposition leader do not agree on any person to be appointed as the caretaker prime minister, within three days of the dissolution of the National Assembly, they shall forward two nominees each to a committee to be immediately constituted by the Speaker of the National Assembly, comprising eight members of the outgoing National Assembly and the Senate, having equal representation from the treasury and the opposition, to be nominated by the prime minister and the opposition leader,respectively."
"The Committee shall finalise the name of the care-taker Prime Minister or care-taker Chief Minister, as the case may be, within three days of the referral of the matter to it: "Provided that in case of inability of the Committee to decide the matter in the aforesaid period, the names of the nominees shall be referred to the Election Commission of Pakistan for final decision within two days". When contacted PML-N spokesman Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan said that his party wants early election because the government has failed to deliver on all fronts and denied reports of secret talks with the government on formation of caretaker set-up.
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