The first meeting of the Parliamentary Committee for the appointment of a Caretaker Prime Minister concluded on Wednesday. There was no tuft of white smoke emanating from the venue of the meeting, literal or figurative; to announce the appointment of a PM. However significant progress did take place.
Talking to the press after the first meeting, Sardar Mehtab Abbasi informed that modalities for the Committee were ironed out on the first day. Firstly, the members from Treasury and Opposition benches agreed that a nominee will be chosen only if at least six of the eight members of the Committee vote in his favour. This decision is commendable as it effectively ensures that both sides will have ownership of the decision.
Secondly, it has been decided that the Caretaker PM "should be impartial, intelligent, have administrative experience, no association with political party and should have a good standing in the country."
Going by Abbasis statement, the chances of a political figure emerging as the PM for the interim period have been wiped out. If the same precedent holds in subsequent election years; the Caretaker PM slot will largely be outside of the purview of politicians.
It was also decided that the Chairmanship of the Committee will alternate between members from both sides of the isle.
The body language and responses to questions from media by Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, Syed Khursheed Shah and others at the presser suggested that a decision may be reached. However, the fiery Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar has repeatedly contended that the matter will go to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Caretaker cabinets have not always been installed in the country; the practice was introduced by General Zia-ul-Haq after he assumed the Presidency.
However, the outgoing legislators have tweaked the process for the selection of a caretaker set-up; it is their baby. As such, it is imperative that the process of selecting a Caretaker Prime Minister should be managed and concluded by elected members of Parliament. The Constitution states that if this Committee fails to reach consensus, the matter will be decided by the ECP.
However, there should be no doubt that a failure to reach consensus within the Parliamentary Committee will be a defeat of all legislators; not just those who occupied the Treasury benches in the past five years.
The current list of contenders for the top slot has been narrowed down to Dr Ishrat Hussain, Rasool Bux Palijo, former justice Nasir Aslam Zahid and former justice Mir Hazar Khan Khoso. According to Abbasi, the names of the two former judges were deliberated upon on the first day. All four men have exemplary character and are widely respected for their services to the country.
It is now a test for the outgoing legislators; their last test in this capacity that they must be able to reach agreement on the appointment of an interim PM and not leave the matter hanging for the Election Commission.
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