ECP names media mogul Mohsin Naqvi as Punjab caretaker CM.
After the ruling party and the opposition failed to come to an agreement on an interim set-up, the caretaker chief minister was chosen by the ECP.
ISLAMABAD: After both the opposition and the province’s governing party were unable to come to an agreement on an interim setup, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) named media mogul Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab on Sunday.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Sikander Sultan Raja, and other members of the commission attended a meeting where the names of four nominees were received by the electoral watchdog.
The two candidates proposed by the province’s ruling coalition included Naqvi.
Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI, had stated in an interview that his party would not accept the nominees of the ruling coalition if either of them were appointed by the electoral board.
Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi works as a journalist. He was raised in Lahore and travelled to the US for his higher schooling. While there, he became involved with CNN, and upon his return to Pakistan, he was promoted to regional head. He also spoke with former Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto; a report claims that Benazir called Naqvi just before she was killed.
Naqvi, who is 30 years old, started a regional media network in 2009, and he currently owns six news stations as well as a newspaper. Additionally, he enjoys great favour in the political world and maintains close ties with the nation’s top decision-makers.
The appointment of the ECP follows the failure of a parliamentary committee set up by the speaker of the Punjab Assembly to agree on a nominee for the position of caretaker chief minister.
The legislative panel had three days to choose one of the four nominees in accordance with Article 224-A of the Constitution. Due to a hiccup in the announcement for the panel’s formation, the committee was only given one day.
There were two nominees each from the ruling party and the opposition.
Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera and Naveed Akram Cheema were put forward by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), while Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Ahad Khan Cheema were suggested by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Umar makes fun of PML-N nominees
Asad Umar, the secretary-general of the PTI, earlier today made fun of the PML-suggested N’s candidates for the position of interim chief minister of Punjab.
He tweeted, “Better to lift the veil and designate Nawaz Sharif or Asif Zardari as interim chief minister than the frontman of imported [administration].
The PTI has requested that the commission choose a “apolitical” person to the position because it has previously questioned the ECP’s judgement.
Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI and a former premier, stated in an interview with a private TV network that the party would not accept the nominations of the ruling coalition if either Naqvi or Cheema were chosen as the temporary chief executive of the province.
Senator Ali Zafar of the former ruling party also said that if the ECP “did not fulfil its duty,” the matter “could go to court.”
Punjab’s caretaker setup was put into place after the provincial parliament was permitted to dissolve on its own as a result of Governor Balighur Rehman’s refusal to accede to the advice of Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi to dissolve it.
Rehman had written letters to CM Elahi and Leader of the Opposition Hamza Shehbaz requesting the appointment of a unanimous temporary chief minister following the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly.
