President Arif Alvi wrote to Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi and the leader of the opposition in Pakistan’s National Assembly, asking them to nominate a person who is qualified to be caretaker prime minister.
The letter was written in accordance with Article 224A(1) of the Pakistani Constitution in the aftermath of Sunday’s dissolution of the National Assembly.
The letter states that if the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly cannot agree on a caretaker Prime Minister within three days of the dissolution of the National Assembly, they shall each forward two nominees to a committee to be immediately convened by the National Assembly’s Speaker.
Article 224A(1) of the Pakistani Constitution says that the Committee will be made up of eight members of the outgoing National Assembly or Senate, or both, with equal representation from both sides. The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition will make the appointments.
President Alvi stated in the letter that incumbent Prime Minister Imran Khan would retain the role of Prime Minister till a caretaker is appointed pursuant to Article 224A(4) of the Constitution.
Article 224(1A) of the country’s Constitution allows the President to appoint a prime minister after consulting with the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly that is leaving. This is important to note.
