The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party is reportedly considering proposing the name of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for taking up the position of caretaker prime minister.
Dar’s name came into focus as the Shehbaz Sharif-led government mulled changes in the Elections Act 2017 to empower the upcoming caretaker set-up to take decisions beyond its constitutional mandate, with a view to ensure continuity of the recently rolled out economic plan and expedite the process aimed at receiving foreign investment in state-owned entities, The Express Tribune, reported.
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) was considering proposing the name of Dar for the caretaker prime minister as part of a broader plan to ensure the implementation of the economic policies, sources were quoted as saying by the Express Tribune newspaper, PTI reported.
However, the final decision about the candidature of Dar will be taken next week in consultation with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) –- one of the two main coalition partners.
The report, citing PML-N sources, said that the government was considering amending Section 230 of the Elections Act 2017, empowering the caretaker set-up to take economic decisions and the amendments might be introduced in the National Assembly next week to allow the caretaker government to take decisions necessary to revive the economy.
Pakistan’s economy is passing through a phase where matters cannot be left for three months on just day-to-day decision-making, the report said, citing an unnamed senior cabinet member.
He added in order to ensure that the IMF programme remains on track and the country completes the second review in November, there was a need that the caretaker government should have more powers to take decisions in economic matters.
The report said neither Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar nor Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb responded to the requests for comments on the proposed amendments to the elections act.
According to Section 230, a caretaker (interim) government shall only perform its functions to attend to day-to-day matters which are necessary to run the affairs of the government.
The present law also bars the caretaker government from taking major policy decisions, except on urgent matters.
The name of Hafeez Shaikh, former finance minister, has also been making the rounds for the position of caretaker prime minister, according to the report.
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