LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a five-member committee of the PML-N to hold negotiations with other coalition partners on the caretaker set-up.
The committee would prepare a roadmap for the dissolution of the assemblies, appointment of the caretaker prime minister, and seat adjustment with the allies. The constitutional tenure of the government ends on August 12 and the government is rushing to finalize the date for the dissolution of the assemblies.
The PML-N committee comprises senior party leaders and federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
The committee has been tasked to undertake consultations with the political parties and groups which constitute the incumbent government. The committee would negotiate with the PPP, JUI-F, MQM-P and other allies in the ruling coalition.
The decision to form the committee was made during a meeting of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif with the PPP leadership including former president Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Dubai on June 27.
The committee will discuss seat adjustments in case a third major political force emerges in Punjab. In case a third major political force does not surface in Punjab, the two parties with contest elections independently.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also directed the allied parties to form their negotiation committees to discuss these matters. The prime minister has already held the first round of talks with the coalition partners and has now instructed the committee to hold negotiations.
The committee will seek proposals for the name of the caretaker premier from the allies. The coalition partners will also provide their input for the caretaker set-up and discuss the issue of seat adjustments.
PM Shehbaz has yet to discuss the issue of the caretaker prime minister with Leader of Opposition Raja Riaz. The discussion is necessary as per the regulation under the Constitution.
The prime minister held a meeting with Zardari and Bilawal earlier this week on Tuesday and discussed the overall political situation in the country and consulted about the caretaker set-up.
