ECP to pick caretaker CMs for Punjab, Balochistan

ECP to pick caretaker CMs for Punjab, Balochistan

Lahore/Quetta (Agencies): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will finalize the caretaker chief minister of Punjab and Balochistan after the parliamentary committees failed to reach a consensus on selecting the caretaker CM for their respective provinces.

In Punjab, the outgoing opposition leader in provincial assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed blamed the PML-N's "inflexibility" for the lack of consensus.

Earlier, chief minister Shahbaz Sharif had nominated retired Admiral Mohammad Zakaullah and retired Justice Mohammad Sair Ali, whereas, Mahmoodur Rasheed had proposed Prof Hasan Askari Rizvi and Ayaz Amir for the post.

The same four names will now be sent to the ECP which will choose one man from among them to become the caretaker chief minister of Punjab.

Meanwhile, in Balochistan the outgoing government has proposed names of Shaukat Aziz Popalzai, president of the Balochistan Economic Forum, and Aladdin Marri while the opposition has proposed Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and former speaker Aslam Bhootani names.

While the names of the caretaker prime minister and Sindh's caretaker chief minister were agreed upon through deliberations between the leaders of the opposition and the house in respective assemblies, the remaining three provinces failed to reach a consensus.