recorder report

ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah Wednesday told Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has no right to present budget for the next fiscal year 2018-19.

The opposition leader said this in a consultative meeting with the Prime Minister regarding the appointment of caretaker prime minister for the interim setup. After the meeting, the opposition leader told media that he asked the Prime Minster to present budget for the next four months only to cater the needs of interim set-up and give opportunity to the next government to present its own budget.

About the caretaker setup, Khursheed Shah said that neither the Prime Minister nor he consulted their respective allies on the appointment of a caretaker prime minister. He said that the Prime Minister told him that he would propose a name for the caretaker prime minister after taking his allies on board. “I also told him that the opposition too will propose a name after holding consultations with other opposition parties,” he said.

Answering a question, he said he hoped that a name for the caretaker prime minister would be finalized before May 16. He said he had also suggested the dissolution of the government a day before the end of its tenure.

The opposition leader proposed that general elections should be held within 60 days after a government completes its tenure. However, if a government is dissolved even one day before the completion of its tenure, the elections are supposed to be held within 90 days, he said.

He said the Prime Minister rejected his suggestion and vowed to hold a session of the National Assembly even on the last day of the government’s tenure.

Meanwhile, a meeting was also held between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah to discuss the matters relating to the budget 2018-19.