As the consultation process between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Syed Khurhseed Ahmad Shah continues to put in place a caretaker setup, a few names have emerged for the slot of caretaker prime minister.
Sources privy to the discussions revealed that the opposition leader has forwarded two more names- Zaka Ashraf, former chairman Pakistan Cricket Board and former adviser to chief minister Sindh [1988-1990], and Jalil Abbas Jilani, former Foreign Secretary and Pakistan's ex-ambassador to Untied States-to be considered for the slot of the caretaker prime minister.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has no mandatory constitutional role in the consultation process, has rejected both the nominees proposed by Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
"We reject both the nominees. Zaka Ashraf is a PPP's member and, therefore, he does not qualify for the position of caretaker prime minister. But we have respect for Jalil Abbas Jilani, who had been a seasoned diplomat and bureaucrat," said Fawad Chaudhry, the spokesperson for the PTI while giving response of his party. He said that PTI had proposed the names of former Supreme Court judge Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and former governor State Bank of Pakistan Dr Ishrat Hussain.
According to sources, a few other names are also under consideration for the office of the caretaker premier including Pakistan's former permanent representative to United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon, former governor of State Bank of Pakistan Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Pakistan's current permanent representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi, former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and former Governor State Bank Dr Ishrat Hussain.
Besides, the sources said that the Prime Minister has also exchanged for discussions a few more names including those of Justice Nasirul Mulk (retd), former secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Ishtiak Ahmad Khan and two retired chief justices of Pakistan-Jawad S Khawaja and Anwar Zaheer Jamali.
The sources further said that Khursheed Shah has formally exchanged the list of PPP's nominees with Prime Minister Abbasi after getting approval from Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
However, no final decision has been made, the sources said, adding that more deliberations would be made between the opposition leader and the Prime Minister before finalizing one name for the office of the caretaker prime minister.
The sources further said that the Prime Minister and opposition leader have decided to agree on one name in the consultation process and not to let the matter to be decided by the ECP.
The incumbent National Assembly is going to complete its tenure on May 31 and the interim setup is required to conduct the upcoming general elections within two months. The ECP on Monday through a summary sent to the President proposed three dates from July 25 to July 27 for conducting the upcoming general election.