Caretaker government: negotiations between government, opposition felicitated

Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has welcomed negotiations between the government and the opposition on a system of appointment for the caretaker governments in the centre and provinces for the purpose of holding general elections in the country.
Pildat had filed a constitution petition before the Supreme Court, asking it to interpret the scope of 'consultation' among the president and the outgoing Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly for the formation of caretaker governments during next general election.
"It is a positive development that the Leader of the Opposition, following Pildat petition, has taken up this issue with the government so that ambiguity on "consultation" in the Constitution can be defined for putting in place neutral caretaker governments through consensus," said a Pildat press statement.
The institute welcomed the statement of Leader of the Opposition, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan MNA, that parties outside the Parliament will be consulted on the appointment of the caretaker governments in the centre and provinces before the next general election. Pildat urged that parties outside the Parliament should also be consulted on the appointment of chief Election Commissioner, adding that the process must begin immediately to allow for a smooth transition of the appointment of consensus CEC in place of the outgoing CEC whose term ends in March 2012.
It said that Article 224 (1A) of Constitution of Pakistan, after 18th constitutional amendment, provides for the appointment of caretaker Prime Minister and caretaker chief ministers by the president of Pakistan and concerned governors, respectively in consultation with PM/CMs and Leaders of Opposition in the outgoing assemblies.