Though the President of Pakistan dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, even after passage of 24 hours, the name of caretaker Prime Minister could not appear on the surface.
As the constitution says that the caretaker Prime Minister would be selected by the outgoing Prime Minister and opposition leader jointly. Then the name, on which both the leader of the house and leader of the opposition agreed would be sent to the President of the country, who would ask the selected individual to take oath as caretaker Prime Minister.
To decide the name of caretaker PM, the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met the opposition leader Raja Riaz on the next day of the dissolution of the national assembly but both sides could not agree on one name.
Both the leaders proposed three names each for the uppermost slot of the country.
The meeting of the PM and opposition leader would be held again, to reach an agreement on the caretaker Prime Minister. Though they have time till 12th August for finalizing the name of caretaker Prime Minister, it seems that the PM wants to enjoy the protocol of highest office till the last day.
Some of the analysts are of the opinion that the name of caretaker Prime Minister is finalized but the government is not showing its card to the public. They would announce on 12th August, the last day of constitutional tenure of the previous assembly, which is already dissolved.
It also looks that PDM, the ruling alliance, wants that the caretaker setup should come for a longer period from the maximum of 90 days that is allowed by the constitution of Pakistan. According to some news item appearing in the media, the IMF would have no objection, if the interim government runs beyond its expected period.
It would also be pertinent to mention here that if the caretaker government would go for long period, the President of the country Dr. Arif Alvi would be remain head of the state ultimately, until and unless his electoral college would not be completed, which is comprised of national assembly, senate and all four provincial assemblies.
There are many names which are circulating on the social media for the post of interim PM including Syed Jalil Abbas Jilani, Dr. Hafeez Sheikh, Fawad Hassan Fawad, Kamran Tessori and Mohsin Naqvi and Ishrat-ul-Ibad.
Out of these personalities two included Jilani and Fawad belonged to bureaucracy and both were retired from the top most grade in civil service i.e. BPS-22. Jalil is former Secretary Foreign Affairs , while Fawad was the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
Dr Hafiz Sheikh who is economist and remained on the seat of Finance, Economic Affair and Privatization Minister of the country thrice. Tessori is sitting Governor of Sindh, while Naqvi is incumbent caretaker Chief Minister Punjab. Whereas Ibad stayed the longest serving governor in the history of the country.
But two of them including Jalil Abbas Jilani and Hafeez Sheikh are the strongest candidates among all. They both also have exposure to work abroad and they have strong linkages with the elements inside as well as outside the country.