Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Raja Riaz on Tuesday opposed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s initially rumoured but now quashed candidature for caretaker prime minister’s role, and also downplayed the need of immediate elections in the country.
The tenure of the National Assembly is set to expire on August 12 and meetings are under way between the members of the government on the details of an interim set-up. Speaking to a news channel, Riaz also rejected the idea of Dar heading the caretaker set-up.
“The elections will not be held for two years if Ishaq Dar becomes the interim prime minister,” said Riaz. Riaz said no one would accept the validity of the general polls if they were held under Dar as the caretaker premier, adding that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had also given a “clear stance” on the issue.
“The PML-N should reveal a name or run it on the media. There is no need for me to consult on it. As the opposition leader, I have to give my three names. I will meet the prime minister by August 1 on the caretaker government issue,” he said.
Riaz said he would soon initiate the consultation process regarding the nominee for the caretaker prime minister, saying that he had meetings scheduled on Wednesday or Thursday with other opposition leaders on the issue.
“An economist should be the caretaker prime minister,” he added. Riaz was also dismissive of the need of elections within its constitutional timeframe upon the current assembly’s early dissolution or tenure expiration. “Elections are not necessary in the country,” he said adding that it did not matter if general elections were not held even for a decade.
