November 13, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 02, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: The former governor of the State Bank and Chairman of National Governance Reforms Comm-ission, Dr Ishrat Hussain, and a business tycoon, Irshadullah, are believed to have been short-listed for caretaker prime ministership, informed sources told Dawn on Monday.

Hamid Nasir Chattha and some other politicians could also be considered for the post if the government decided against bringing a technocrat as the caretaker prime minister.

Mr Chattha's name had been proposed by PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto during her talks with the government.

The sources said that while Dr Hussain enjoyed full support of almost all parties in the ruling coalition, some had reservations about Irshadullah.

Several high-level meetings have been held in Islamabad to decide about the caretaker prime minister and the cabinet. One such meeting was continuing at the President’s House till the filing of this report.

The meeting was being attended by PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, a few ministers and some leaders of coalition parties.

The sources said that the government had contacted former caretaker prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, but he had refused to become the caretaker prime minister. The offer had been made by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz when he met Mr Jatoi during his recent visit to Karachi.

Other names considered at various stages for the caretaker prime ministers, the sources said, included former minister for privatization Hafeez Sheikh and veteran lawyer Senator S.M. Zafar.

The sources said that it had been decided that the caretaker cabinet would consist of 16 ministers. The caretaker PM, along with his cabinet, will take oath on Nov 16 at the President’s House.