The appointment was made by ECP following parliamentary committee deadlock
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 7th June, 2018) The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has expressed reservations over the appointment of Professor Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi as Punjab caretaker chief minister.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore on Thursday among party leaders, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi demanded Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to review Dr Hasan Askari’s appointment as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab.
He said that the PMLN has reservations over Dr Hasan Askari’s attitude and partiality. He said that his tweets and articles are against PMLN and his integrity is doubtful.
"Such an act by the ECP can make elections doubtful. It negates the holding of free, fair and transparent elections," he added.
Former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal said that it is country’s need to hold elections on July 25. The uncertainty with a delay in elections cannot be bear by Pakistan’s economy. If the election is controversial, it will be poisonous for Pakistan’s economy, he said.
He asked the PMLN workers to secure the vote. Nobody will be allowed to steal the mandate of the people of Pakistan, Iqbal added.
PMLN leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said that Dr Askari should himself withdraw his name as he is biased.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had named Professor Dr Hassan Askari as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab.
The matter of nominating Punjab caretaker CM was referred to the ECP after the failure of parliamentary committee that met on Wednesday to reach consensus over the proposed candidates. Both former government and opposition leveled charges on each other in failing to reach consensus by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The PTI had proposed the Names of news analyst Ayaz Amir and Defence analyst Dr Hassan Askari Rizvi for the post of caretaker CM while the PML-N had nominated Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah and Justice (r) Muhammad Sair Ali.
