Monitoring Report
ISLAMABAD: Former governor State Bank Dr Ishrat Hussain and Pakistan’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations Dr Maleeha Lodhi are leading the race for the prized slot of caretaker Prime Minister according to sources. This was revealed by Editor in Chief Pakistan Group of Newspapers and Chairman Roze News Sardar Khan Niazi while speaking in Roze News program Sachi Baat.
Last week, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah reached a consensus on the name of caretaker prime minister before the country goes to polls.
However, the two leaders agreed to not make the name public until May 15. The task for announcing the name of caretaker prime minister was given to Syed Khursheed Shah. Khursheed is likely to announce the caretaker PM’s name on May 15 after a formal meeting with Shahid Khaqan Abbasi the same day.
Dr Maleeha Lodhi is Pakistan’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. She twice served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US (1993 – 1996, 1999 – 2002) and as High Commissioner to Britain (2003 – 2008).
Dr Ishrat Husain was appointed governor of the State Bank of Pakistan by Gen Musharraf soon after toppling the elected government of Nawaz Sharif in 1999 and held the position till 2006.
The government’s term ends on May 31 after which the caretaker setup will take over the governance affairs.