ECP to finalise caretaker CMs for Punjab, Balochistan

Published June 6, 2018
Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed speaks after final rounds of talks between government and opposition fail. — DawnNewsTV
Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed speaks after final rounds of talks between government and opposition fail. — DawnNewsTV

The parliamentary committees of Punjab and Balochistan on Wednesday failed to reach a consensus on selecting the caretaker chief minister for their respective provinces.

Outgoing opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed blamed the PML-N's "inflexibility" for the lack of consensus while outgoing provincial government's spokesperson Malik Ahmed Khan claimed the names submitted by the opposition were controversial and had a bias against the PML-N.

Earlier, chief minister Shahbaz Sharif had nominated retired Admiral Mohammad Zakaullah and retired Justice Mohammad Sair Ali, whereas, Mahmoodur Rasheed had proposed Prof Hasan Askari Rizvi and Ayaz Amir for the post.

Take a look: The caretaker government: Why do we have one and what purpose does it fulfil?

The same four names will now be sent to the ECP which will choose one man from among them to become the caretaker chief minister of Punjab.

Meanwhile, in Balochistan the outgoing government has proposed names of Shaukat Aziz Popalzai, president of the Balochistan Economic Forum, and Aladdin Marri while the opposition has proposed Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and former speaker Aslam Bhootani's names.

While the names of the caretaker prime minister and Sindh's caretaker chief minister were agreed upon through deliberations between the leaders of the opposition and the house in respective assemblies, the remaining three provinces failed to reach a consensus.

The ECP chose retired Justice Dost Mohammad Khan for the interim position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while decision in Balochistan and Punjab will now be decided by the commission which has until June 8 to finalise the names.

Additional reporting by Syed Ali Shah.

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