Imran Khan nominates former chief justice as Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister

PAKISTAN'S former chief justice Gulzar Ahmed was on Monday (4) nominated for the office of the caretaker prime minister by incumbent Imran Khan, amid the ongoing political crisis in the country.

Former information minister and senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party Fawad Chaudhry said Khan made the decision after approval from the party's core committee.

The announcement comes after president Arif Alvi sent letters to Khan and leader of the opposition Shehbaz Sharif seeking suggestions for the appointment of a caretaker prime minister.

The Constitution has empowered the president to appoint a caretaker prime minister in consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly, the president's secretariat said in a statement.

Sharif has so far refused to take part in the process, terming it illegal.

Khan will continue as the prime minister till the appointment of a caretaker prime minister.

Born in 1957, Justice Ahmed served as the chief justice from December 2019 until his retirement in February 2022.

He was part of a five-judge bench that disqualified former premier Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case. He made headlines multiple times due to his strong verdicts and comments against governments and bureaucrats.

Justice Ahmed had also ordered authorities to reconstruct a temple vandalised by a mob in northwest Pakistan and instructed them to recover the money for the restoration work from the attackers whose actions had caused "international embarrassment" to Pakistan.

He had also attended a function at the rebuilt temple to celebrate the Diwali festival last year and to express solidarity with the members of the Hindu community.

(PTI)