Raja Riaz opposes Dar as caretaker PM

Islamabad: Opposition Leader Raja Riaz expressed concerns on Tuesday that appointing Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as the caretaker prime minister could potentially delay the country's elections by up to two years.

Riaz emphasized the importance of addressing the ongoing crisis in the nation rather than rushing into immediate elections.

In his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition, Riaz stated that he would propose three names to the government for consideration as the interim prime minister. He is currently in consultation with fellow opposition members to finalize the list of potential candidates.

Riaz affirmed that the decision on the caretaker prime minister's name would be made in early August, in coordination with the current prime minister. He stressed that this phase of selecting the caretaker setup's nominees would be completed in the first round.

On a related note, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif shared his thoughts on Ishaq Dar's nomination as caretaker prime minister on Monday. Asif acknowledged a close personal bond with Dar, emphasizing their shared experiences, including facing imprisonment during the Pervez Musharraf era.

 Asif expressed hope for Dar to become prime minister but acknowledged that there were objections to Dar's appointment from some quarters. Notably, he mentioned concerns that selecting a caretaker prime minister from the ruling party might invite objections from the public.