The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has finalised the names of Zaka Ashraf and Jalil Abbas Jilani for the post of caretaker prime minister, sources informed on Monday.
Opposition leader in National Assembly Khursheed Shah has forwarded these names to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. According to sources, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has telephoned Ashraf and Jilani informing them of the party’s decision. The PPP co-chairman informed Ashraf and Jilani that they had been selected on the basis of their hard work and honesty.
Zaka Ashraf is the former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. He has also served as the adviser to chief minister Sindh from 1988-1990.
Jilani has a foreign service background having served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States and as country's Foreign Secretary.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is expected to chair a high-level meeting at Zardari House in Islamabad today.
Senior party leaders such as Khursheed Shah, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Sherry Rehman and Qamar Zaman Kaira are expected to attend the meeting.
The party members are expected to discuss issues pertaining to caretaker setup, which will take over once the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz completes its tenure on May 31, along with party preparations for the upcoming general elections.
