ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Monday refused to engage with Prime Minister Imran Khan in a constitutional consultation process on the caretaker setup following President Dr Arif Alvi sent a letter to propose a suitable person as the next caretaker premier.

“How is it possible to respond to the letter sent by a violator of the Constitution? No, it’s not possible,” he stated in response to a question during a news conference when asked whether he would respond to the letter sent to him and the Prime Minister by the President to propose names as the suitable caretaker Prime Minister after the dissolution of the National Assembly.

While referring to the events that happened on Sunday such as rejection of the no-confidence motion and dissolution of the National Assembly, he alleged that the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker have violated the Constitution.

‘Confrontation with Constitution’: Shehbaz warns PM of consequences

Shehbaz said that their first priority is that the judiciary should decide about the ruling on the no-confidence motion by Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri. “Once, it is decided, then a decision on this matter would also be taken in consultation with the joint opposition,” Shehbaz said.

Responding to the same question, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said as per the Constitution, the consultation process has to be done between the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition. “If, according to them, there is no House (after dissolution of the NA), then who’s leader of the house and who’s leader of the opposition?” he questioned.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022