PA Speaker yet to constitute committee to name Punjab caretaker CM.

LAHORE -- A parliamentary committee of the Punjab Assembly which was to be constituted by Speaker Mohammad Sibtain Khan to evolve consensus over one name as Punjab caretaker chief minister could not be constituted till 6 pm on Wednesday as the speaker's office did not receive nominations from the opposition. Talking to The Nation, Punjab Assembly spokesperson confirmed that the parliamentary committee had not been notified as yet as the speaker's office did not receive any nominations from the opposition leader till late on Wednesday. It is despite the fact that the stipulated constitutional time of three days for the committee to agree over one name for the caretaker CM started at10:10pm (Tuesday) after the chief minister and the opposition leader failed to decide one name within three days. The relevant article of the constitution says that the Assembly speaker will constitute a parliamentary committee immediately after the chief minister and the opposition leader fail to agree on one name. Though the opposition leader and the chief minister have finalized names for the committee in question along with their nominees for the caretaker slot, the same have not been forwarded to the speaker for further action, it has been learnt. The chief minister has finalized three names which include Raja Basharat, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Hashim Jawan Bakht for inclusion in the parliamentary committee. Also, in a letter written to Speaker Punjab Assembly, Opposition leader Hamza Shehbaz has forwarded the names of Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Syed Hassan Murtaza and Malik Nadeem Kamran for the purpose. The letter also includes names of...