Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to be Interim Pak PM after Nawaz Sharif’s ouster

Mangalore Today News Network

Islamabad, Jul 29, 2017 :  Pakistan’s ruling PML-N party will appoint Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the interim prime minister to replace Nawaz Sharif, sources told NDTV.

 

Mr Abbasi, who was till Friday was the petroleum minister, has been chosen to take over as interim prime minister till Nawaz Sharif’s brother, Shahbaz, is elected to parliament. Shahbaz Sharif, 65, who is the Punjab Chief Minister and brother of Nawaz Sharif will have to contest a parliamentary seat and becomes eligible to take over.

In order to become the prime minister, he would have to be elected first. Hence, the interim prime minister from within Sharif’s close cabinet collegeaues.

Mr Abbasi will hold the office of PM of Pakistan for an interim period of 45 days to make way for the election of Shahbaz Sharif to the National Assembly ahead of him being elected as prime minister.

The PML-N has a majority in the parliament so Shahbaz’s eventual ascension should not be a problem. But since Shahbaz Sharif is also the CM of Punjab he will have to step down eventually and forego his seat in the Punjab Assembly of Pakistan.

Other names doing the round were that of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Saad Rafique, Rana Tanveer (another probable).

The Supreme Court yesterday disqualified 67-year-old Nawaz Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing the embattled leader out of office.

courtesy:NDTV