Amid deepening political turmoil in Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government is said to be finalising names for caretaker PM for fresh elections, sources said on Monday.
This comes a day after Pakistan PM Imran Khan avoided an attempt to oust him and sought fresh elections after dissolving parliament.
Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif had termed blocking of the vote “nothing short of high treason” and said on Twitter there would be consequences for “blatant & brazen violation of the Constitution.” He added he hoped the Supreme Court would uphold the Constitution.
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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, head of the opposition Pakistan People’s Party, promised a sit-in at parliament and told reporters, “We are also moving to the Supreme Court today.”
The Supreme Court will on Monday hear the matter. Supreme Court’s chief justice had said that any directions given by the president and prime minister would be subject to the court’s orders.
According to sources, retired senior military general and political analyst Haroon Aslam and Justice Saeed Aslam are among those in the race for caretaker PM. While both are said to be close to the Imran Khan government, new names will depend on the court ruling, sources said.
Hours after Pakistan President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly (NA) on the advice of Imran Khan on Sunday, the Pakistan government issued a notification announcing that Imran Khan no longer holds the position of Prime Minister of the country.
“Consequent upon the dissolution of Pakistan Assembly by the President of Pakistan in terms of Article 58(1) read with Article 48(1) of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan vide Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, dated 3rd April 2022, Mr Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ceased to hold the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, with immediate effect,” the government statement read.
In case the court decides and goes by Imran Khan party’s Sunday ruling in Parliament, then only Khan’s government will be able to give the names for caretaker PM, sources said.
However, if the court decides against Imran Khan and accepts Cabinet Secretariat’s decision that Khan is no more the prime minister, the list of names being prepared by his government will be of no use, sources added.
Meanwhile, a notification issued by President Arif Alvi on Monday said Imran Khan will continue to be the Prime Minister of Pakistan until the appointment of a caretaker premier. The incumbent Prime Minister shall continue to hold office till appointment of the care-taker premier, the notification said.
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