Pakistan: Ex-chief justice named as caretaker PM

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

A former chief justice has been selected as the country's caretaker prime minister for an interim two-month period following lengthy negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, whose term ends this month, and opposition leader Khursheed Shah announced in a news conference in capital Islamabad that Nasirul Mulk has been appointed till the outcome of general elections on July 25.

The announcement came after a two-week deadlock between Abbasi and Shah over the name.

"We discussed several names for this responsibility and all of them were credible but finally chose Nasirul Mulk for caretaker premiership on merit as his name will be acceptable to everyone " Abbasi told reporters.

The opposition leader also praised Abbasi saying that his past is spotless.

"We are happy that another democratic government was able to complete its five-year term and hope the caretaker premier would ensure free and fair elections in the country.

President Mamnoon Hussain has already approved July 25 as the date for general elections.

The five-year constitutional term of Pakistan's government and parliment is due to end on May 31, after which interim government will take over to hold the elections within two months.

Profile of caretaker PM

Mulk was born on August 17, 1950 in Mingora city of northwestern Swat district, a scenic touristic spot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.

He received his early education in his native district and completed his Barrister-at-Law from Inner Temple, London

He was appointed as judge of the Peshawar High Court in June, 1994 and then became the chief justice of high court in May 2004.

In 2005 he was elevated as Supreme Court judge and was promoted as chief justice of Pakistan in 2014.

Mulk was among those judges who resisted former military dictator Gen. Retired Pervez Musharraf, and signed a restraining order in November 2007 when Musharraf imposed emergency rule and forcibly sent the judges home.