ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhruddin G. Ibrahim announced on Sunday the name of Justice (retd) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso as caretaker prime minister of Pakistan for the upcoming elections, Dispatch News Desk (DND) reported.
Khoso, proposed by the government, was selected by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from amongst four candidates after two days of deliberations in Islamabad.
Making the announcement after the ECP completed its deliberations over the selection of caretaker PM in Islamabad on Sunday ‚ the CEC said the selection of the Caretaker Prime Minister was made with majority as one member Justice Riaz Kayani dissented. He proposed name of Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid.
After his selection as caretaker PM, Justice (Retd) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso told media that his first priority would to hold free and fair elections. He said it would be his effort to conduct elections in a way that they are remembered as the highly transparent.
Khoso said he would meet all political parties and elections would be held on time. About maintenance of law and order during elections‚ he said he would talk to the provinces and ensure that elections are held in a peaceful environment.
In reply to a question, he said he would take as many members in the Federal Cabinet as necessary but it would be a small one.
Mir Hazar Khan Khoso‚ 84‚ was born in village Azam Khan of district Jaffarabad of Balochistan. He graduated from University of Sindh in 1954 and passed LL.B in 1956 from University of Karachi.
The retired justice entered the legal profession as pleader in 1957 and enrolled as Advocate of High Court of then West Pakistan Karachi Bench in 1959 and Advocate of Supreme Court in 1980.
Khoso was elevated as Additional Judge of Balochistan High Court in 1977 and appointed permanent judge of the said High Court in 1987.
He served as Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court from December 1989 to September 1991 when he retired in the same capacity. He was appointed as Judge of Federal Shariat Court the same year and elevated as Chief Justice of the Court in November 1992. He held the office up to July 1994.
The retired Justice Mir Hazar Khan Khoso also served as Acting Governor Balochistan twice.
Earlier, the Election Commission completed its deliberations over the selection of caretaker PM in Islamabad on Sunday as today was the last day for the Election Commission to make its decision.
The CEC Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim chaired the meeting while it was attended by all the four members representing their respective provinces.
The ECP members included member Punjab Justice (retd) Riaz Kiyani‚ member Khyder Pakhtunkhwa Justice (retd) Shahzad Akbar Khan‚ member Balochistan Justice (retd) Fazl-ur-Rehman and member Sindh Justice (retd) Roshan Essani.
The Commission considered names forwarded to it by the Parliamentary Committee. The Prime Minister had proposed names of Dr. Ishrat Hussain and retired Justice Mir Hazar Khan Khoso while the Leader of the Opposition had proposed names of retired Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid and Rasool Bakhsh Paleejo.
The ECP was assigned to appoint leader of the interim government after political leadership of the country failed to reach a consensus following three days of deliberations as specified by the Constitution of Pakistan.
DND
