PESHAWAR: Azam Khan – a former bureaucrat – was sworn in as the caretaker chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday after the government and opposition agreed on his appointment.
A few hours before Khan was sworn in, Governor Haji Ghulam Ali appointed the former provincial chief secretary as the interim chief minister as the KP government and the opposition nominated him as the unanimous candidate a few days after the provincial assembly was dissolved.
A day ago, in a meeting to finalize the important appointment, the name of the interim chief minister was agreed upon.
A notification was issued today by Governor KP, according to which Khan has been appointed as Caretaker Chief Minister under Clause (IA) of Article 224 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.
It states that further necessary action may be taken by the Governor to administer the oath to the Caretaker Chief Minister.
The outgoing Chief Minister Mehmood Khan and the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing KP Assembly Akram Khan Durrani were requested to consult the Provincial Governor regarding the appointment of the Chief Minister and both agreed to nominate Khan.
The new caretaker chief minister has assumed the post of Federal Secretary for Religious Affairs and Petroleum. He obtained his Bar at Law degree from Lincoln’s Inn, London.
‘Peaceful elections top priority’
Speaking to JEE News after his appointment, Khan said that ensuring peaceful elections is his top priority. He said that holding peaceful elections is the job of Election Commission of Pakistan and we will fully support it.
“I have been the caretaker home minister before and supported the ECP in the elections.”
Khan said that the province was facing problems like law and order and inflation, promising to take measures to reduce them.
Punjab is still undecided.
However, there is still disagreement between the government and the opposition on finalizing the name of the interim chief minister in Punjab.
The meeting of the committee set up for the appointment of caretaker chief minister in Punjab was held a day ago, but the meeting ended without results and the leaders of both sides criticized each other in their pressers.
Now this matter will be taken up by ECP tomorrow who will decide in two days which post will be appointed.
However, outgoing Chief Minister Punjab Pervaiz Elahi has already announced that if the decision-making authority is left to the ECP, he will take the matter to the Supreme Court.
