ISLAMABAD, March 15: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took lead among the provinces on Friday when its ruling and opposition parties formally nominated a former chief justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC), Justice (retd) Tariq Pervez Khan, as caretaker chief minister of the province.

In a display of political maturity and harmony, Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti of the Awami National Party (ANP) and Leader of Opposition in the KP Assembly Akram Khan Durrani of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) announced the name of Justice Khan at a joint press conference held in Islamabad.

They described Justice Khan as an impartial person and expressed the hope that he would ensure fair and free elections in the province.

“Following Pakhtun traditions, I personally visited Mr Durrani to discuss the name of caretaker chief minister,” Mr Hoti said.

He praised the support and guidance of Mr Durrani in evolving a consensus on the name and said that several names were considered for the post.

The selection was based on merit as Justice Khan had no affiliation with any political party, Mr Hoti said.

The chief minister said he favoured holding of elections to the national and provincial assemblies on the same day. “I will send my request to the KP governor to dissolve the provincial assembly on the day the National Assembly is dissolved because we want elections on the same day in the country.”

Mr Durrani said the KP media had also been invited to Islamabad to give a positive message to the nation. “I discussed the matter with friends in the opposition and with consensus we have been able to select the name of Justice Khan whose impartiality is above board,” he said.

He expressed the hope that other provinces would also be able to select impartial people as caretaker chief ministers to ensure free and fair elections.

Justice Khan told a private TV channel that holding of fair and free elections and restoration of peace in the province would be his top priorities and for the purpose he would take all stakeholders into confidence.