Explainer: How a caretaker prime minister is appointed?

ISLAMABAD: The issue of appointment of the caretaker prime minister (PM) is making the rounds these days with various speculations surrounding the final name for the crucial slot.

It is essential to understand the official procedure for the appointment of the caretaker prime minister.

Here is the procedure of the appointment of the caretaker PM, outlined by Pak Voter, an initiative of the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) Pakistan:

• The 18th and 20th constitutional amendments have enhanced the consultative and transparent process for selecting the caretaker prime minister, the chief minister, and federal and provincial ministers.
• The president must appoint a caretaker prime minister in consultation with both the sitting PM and the leader of opposition.

Fun Fact: According to a 2018 report of Dawn News, Pakistan is the only democratic country which adopts the method of a caretaker government to prepare for the elections.

• If the prime minister and the leader of the opposition cannot agree on the name of a caretaker prime minister within three days of the dissolution of the National Assembly, they will each forward two names to a parliamentary committee tasked with making the decision.
• The committee would be comprised of eight members of the outgoing NA and/or Senate with equal representation from the government and the opposition parties.
• The members of the committee will be nominated by the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, respectively.
• The committee must finalise their decision within three days.
• During the appointment process, the incumbent prime minster continues to function until the caretaker replacement is appointed.