KARACHI: The opposition Grand Democratic Alliance and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan on Thursday claimed to have reached a consensus over their candidates for the office of the caretaker chief minister but said they would make a formal announcement after dissolution of the Sindh Assembly.

Speaking to reporters here at Functional House after holding the final round of talks on the caretaker set-up, GDA leader Sardar Rahim said that both the opposition parties had finalised their names but it was not appropriate to announce them until the appointment of caretaker prime minister and dissolution of the Sindh Assembly.

Another GDA leader Irfanullah Marwat said that there was no difference of opinion between the two parties and the names of caretaker set-up had been finalised with consensus. “We are only waiting for the dissolution of the assembly,” he said.

The GDA and MQM-P leaders also criticised the PPP-led government in Sindh for increasing lawlessness, lack of proper healthcare facilities in hospitals in interior of Sindh, corruption and bad governance.

Speaking on the occasion, MQM-P leader Jawed Hanif said that the 15-year-long reign of the PPP was about to end.

Sources told Dawn that retired bureaucrats Shoaib Siddiqui, Younus Dagha and senior politician Dr Safdar Abbasi were among the candidates shortlisted by the GDA and MQM-P for the office of the caretaker chief minister.

These names, the sources said, would be given to Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Rana Ansar, who would present the same to Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. The Sindh Assembly is expected to be dissolved on Friday evening (tomorrow) after its farewell session ends.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2023