ISLAMABAD, MAY 31 (DNA) –  A day after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf withdrew the name of former bureaucrat Nasir Saeed Khosa for the post of caretaker Chief Minister in Punjab, Imran Khan’s party has finalized the names of Professor Hasan Askari and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Nasir Durrani.

Yesterday, PTI reversed its decision to agree on the candidature of Saeed Khosa for the top slot in Punjab, saying it was facing a “public backlash.”

“We have withdrawn the name of Nasir Saeed Khosa over public backlash and criticism from a section of media,” PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry told.

“There has been a lot of criticism on social media about Khosa. We are a political party which cannot ignore the public perception,” he said.

Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Mahmood ur Rashid also Nasir Khosa was a Nawaz Sharif’s loyalist.

On Tuesday, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced the name of Khosa in consultation with the opposition leader.

“Glad to announce that Leader of the opposition Punjab and I have agreed on the name of Nasir Saeed Khosa as caretaker Chief Minister Punjab for interim setup. Another step towards strengthening democratic process,” Chief Minister Sharif tweeted.