Qadir Baloch among hopefuls

Retired general Abdul Qadir Baloch, the Minister for States and Frontier Regions, is among the hopefuls for the post of premiership in case Supreme Court disqualifies prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his alleged corruption and money laundering. The other contenders are Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Mohammad Asif, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Recourses Shahid Khaqan Abbasi being.
Party insiders said that Baloch however has a slim chance. Since Shahbaz Sharif is not a member of the National Assembly the sources said that another candidate, most likely Ayaz Sadiq or Shahid Khaqan Abbasi would be elected for the interim period - maximum 60 days [a period under Article 224 (4) to hold bye election on a vacant seat] - till Shahbaz Sharif is elected from Nawaz Sharif's constituency, NA-120 Lahore, in case of his likely disqualification by the apex court. Khawaja Asif was among the potential candidates to replace Nawaz Sharif for the interim period but insiders said the chances of his election to the top slot are not bright due to internal opposition that he faces mainly from Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. The sources said that party's senior parliamentarians have conveyed to the leadership in categorical terms that a non-controversial and senior party leader should be picked for the slot with a view to avoiding further grouping within the party. Chaudhry Nisar who has virtually distanced himself from the party affairs is not ready to work under a junior party member or a controversial figure as the Prime Minister, they added.
Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq is considered as a non-controversial leader within the party and is considered as a potential candidate to replace Nawaz Sharif for the interim period - a view that gathered strength as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif summoned Sadiq to Murree on Sunday for deliberations on the matter. Shahbaz Sharif will replace Nawaz Sharif only in case the apex court disqualifies him in the Panama Papers case. On Sunday, banners suddenly appeared in Lahore in favour of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, asking the Prime Minister to step down and let his younger brother become the Premier. The banners that read "Janay do janay do Mian sahib janay do aur aanay do aanay do Mian Shahbaz Sharif ko aanay do (Let it go Mian sahib [Nawaz Sharif] and let Shehbaz Sharif come)" were put up by an unknown "NGO Pakistan" outside Lahore Press Club.
However, there is a strong perception within the opposition parties that in case of Nawaz Sharif's disqualification, he would prefer to appoint someone loyal who would carry out his instructions. Dr Arif Alvi, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said that naturally Nawaz Sharif would appoint someone close to him with a view to dictating decisions of high import.