Elahi unveils potential candidates for caretaker Punjab CM

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has agreed on three names for the post of Punjab caretaker chief minister.

“Imran Khan has suggested three names for interim chief minister — Ahmed Nawaz Sukhira, Naseer Khan, and Nasir Khosa,” Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi told reporters in Lahore on Sunday.

The process to install a caretaker set-up in Punjab was set in motion on Saturday after the provincial assembly was allowed to dissolve automatically as Governor Balighur Rehman refrained from giving his assent to Elahi’s dissolution advice .

According to Article 112(1), the assembly stands automatically “dissolved at the expiration of 48 hours after the chief minister has so advised” if the governor did not do it.

With the dissolution of the assembly, Elahi’s nearly six-month-long tumultuous stint at the top post ended along with his cabinet.

In today’s media interaction, Elahi said one of the names suggested by the PTI was likely to be finalised for caretaker CM, adding that the names would be sent to the governor.

Following the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, Governor Balighur Rehman sent letters to CM Elahi and Leader of the Opposition Hamza Shehbaz for the appointment of a unanimous caretaker chief minister.

In the letter, the chief minister and the opposition leader have been asked to suggest name for the interim chief minister within three days by January 17 (Tuesday).

Responding to a question regarding talk of his party’s merger with the PTI, the PML-Q leader said a final decision in this regard would be taken tomorrow.

“They [PTI] have asked us to merge into PTI as it will be beneficial for both the parties and strengthen the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf as well,” he said.