Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif says ‘will hand over reins to caretaker govt’ in August

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday (July 14) announced that the incumbent government will hand over the reins to the caretaker government in August, setting the stage for the general elections to take place in the later part of the year.

In a televised address, Sharif said that his government in its brief tenure of 15 months was able to clear the “rubble of destruction” caused by the work of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over the last four years.

He, however, did not elaborate on whether he would call for the early dissolution of parliament or would wait for its term to complete on August 12.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

“We will hand over this responsibility to the caretaker set-up in August 2023,” he said.

“We cleaned the landmines laid in the way of Pakistan’s interests” and “doused the fire” that erupted because of “mismanagement, inefficiency and conspiracy in running the affairs of the country, including the economy and foreign affairs”, the PM said.

'One of its kind govt'

Sharif said that the coalition government was “one of its kind” in Pakistan’s democratic history, which was formed for the briefest of periods but faced the “toughest challenges and difficulties”.

“This government has actually set a standard and direction — that despite lack of time and never-ending difficulties, the country can be steered out of crises,” he said, adding that this could only be achieved through hard work and by working sincerely, reports Dawn newspaper.

The Pakistani premier asserted that his government “sacrificed politics to protect the state”.

“We did not worry about our vote bank but worried about the consistent increase in the State Bank of Pakistan.”

Talking about the IMF deal, Sharif blamed the previous government of almost tanking the agreement, claiming that it violated it and pushed the country to the brink of default.

“While we were trying to restore the programme, former rulers were busy hatching anti-state conspiracies day and night,” he said, adding that despite all the roadblocks, his government did not lose hope and successfully reached an arrangement with the IMF.

“Today, the danger of Pakistan’s default and their (former rulers) impure wishes have been buried.”

IMF approves $3 billion loan for Pakistan

What's next?

According to the Pakistani Constitution, a neutral caretaker must be appointed before the commencement of general elections to ensure a smooth transition process.

The caretaker prime minister is appointed through mutual agreement between the outgoing prime minister and the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.

In the event of a deadlock, the names are submitted to a bipartisan committee or, if necessary, to the Election Commission of Pakistan for final selection.

So far it is unclear who would be appointed as the caretaker prime minister, but political parties are currently engaged in hectic parlays to hammer out a consensus candidate.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE