ISLAMABAD, MAY 28 (DNA) – Justice (r) Nasir ul Mulk will be the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan till elected PM takes charge after the upcoming elections.

The name of Nasir ul Mulk was announced at a joint presser by PM Abbasi and Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah. Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq was also present at the presser along with some ministers.

Justice (r) Nasir ul Mulk was born on 17 Aug, 1950 and belonged to Swat. He has served as a judge in Peshawar High Court, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief Election Commissioner before.

Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, Information Minister Mariyam Aurengzaib and other dignitaries were present in the much-anticipated presser.

Addressing the conference, PM Abbasi termed it a historic day. He added that the person who has been selected has a clean background.

The both high ups held a meeting in Islamabad. As the meeting ended, Shah talking to reporters said that he along with the premier held a joint press conference on 12:30 today. He said that both sides will reach a consensus over the name of interim premier before the presser.

Media reports claimed that a major breakthrough has occurred during the sixth meeting between the government and opposition as both sides have succeeded to end the impasse.

The government has suggested the names of Justice (r) Tassaduq Jilani and Dr Ishrat Hussain and Justice (retd) Nasir-ul-Mulk for the slot.

Tassaduq Hussain Jillani is a Pakistani judge who served as the 21st Chief Justice of Pakistan from 2013 to 2014. Dr Ishrat Hussain is a Pakistani banker and economist who served as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) suggested the names of former chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf and former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani for the post of caretaker prime minister.

The reports further claimed that Justice (retd) Nasir or Justice (retd) Jillani would be named as the caretaker prime minister.

Earlier, Shah, talking to reporters before the meeting, said that they will try their best to develop consensus on a name for the interim premier. If the government and opposition fail to decide the name, the matter will be sent to the parliamentary committee, he added.

Expressing his confidence in the meeting, Abbasi hoped that a consensus would be developed in today’s meeting, which is sixth.

The fifth meeting between the incumbent government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and opposition in the National Assembly held on May 22 but concluded resultlessly.

Earlier, names of Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations Dr Maleeha Lodhi, former Pakistan Ambassador to the UN Abdullah Hussain Haroon were among the favourites, but they are missing in the proposed list. The prime responsibility of the caretaker government is to ensure that the elections are held in a transparent manner and the basic machinery of the government continues without an elected setup in place.