ISLAMABAD: After dissolution of the National Assembly, President Dr Arif Alvi has written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly Mian Shehbaz Sharif to propose a suitable person for appointment as caretaker prime minister for holding general elections in the country.

President Dr Alvi on Sunday (April 3, 2022) dissolved the National Assembly on Prime Minister Khan’s advice under Article 58 of the Constitution.

The President has written the letter under Article 224 A (1) of the Constitution of Pakistan to the prime minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly.

He conveyed to both the leaders that in case, the prime minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly 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, or the Senate, or both, having equal representation from the Treasury and the Opposition, to be nominated by the prime minister and the Leader of the Opposition, respectively, in pursuance of Article 224A(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan.

He has further written that the incumbent Prime Minister Imran Ahmad Khan shall continue to hold the Office of the Prime Minister till appointment of the caretaker prime minister under Article 224A(4) of the Constitution.

It is worth mentioning that the Constitution of the country has empowered the president, under Article 224(1A), to appoint caretaker prime minister in consultation with the prime minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022