PA disbanded, PTI and 'Q' move on to interim set-up.

LAHORE -- As the Punjab Assembly automatically stood dissolved late on Saturday evening, following the governor's refusal to sign the chief minister's advice, the PTI concluded a series of hectic meetings deliberating its political strategy and finalising candidates for the slot of caretaker CM, to be appointed in consultation with the outgoing assembly's opposition leader.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan, in a meeting with senior party leaders, is said to have finalised the candidates to be proposed for the caretaker CM. However, at the eleventh hour, the party decided to hold onto the names for another day as Mr Khan is scheduled to present them to outgoing CM Parvez Elahi in a formal meeting at his residence on Sunday (today).

CM Elahi and Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz are now required to consult and mutually decide a candidate to propose for appointment as the caretaker CM within the next three days.

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Khan and Mr Elahi held separate consultative meetings with their party leaders and cabinet members, respectively, to discuss a political strategy for the installation of a caretaker set-up in Punjab and the subsequent elections. Sharing the governor's direction for finalising a candidate for the slot of caretaker, PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi tweeted, 'Election time!!!'

Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan had earlier claimed the PTI had finalised three names to be suggested for the caretaker chief minister's post. Those names would be shared soon after the dissolution of the assembly later at night.

In the meeting with senior party leaders at his residence, PTI chief Imran Khan deliberated and reportedly finalised the candidates for the interim chief's slot.

'Since the PML-Q extended all-out support to the PTI during the past five months, party chief Imran Khan decided to present the candidates' names to his ally, Chief Minister Elahi, in a formal meeting on Sunday (today),' a PTI leader told Dawn.

For the caretaker set-up, both the PTI-PML-Q alliance and the opposition PML-N will have to float two names each after formal consultations. 'If both sides do not reach a consensus on the subject, the matter will go to the Election Commission of Pakistan that will make the appointment,' the PA speaker told the media.

In a separate meeting with the speaker, provincial ministers and advisers, CM Elahi discussed the legal and constitutional aspects of the post-PA dissolution scenario. The meeting deliberated on...