PPP’s Faisal Karim Kundi has said that party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had given the authority to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to decide the name of the caretaker prime minister.

“We welcome the appointment of Anwaarul Haq Kakar. Our committee forwarded three names to the PML-N and then it was for the leader of the house and the opposition to decide. Shehbaz Sharif then spoke to the chairman [Bilawal] who gave him the authority to decide,” he told Shaukat Piracha on Rubaroo.

Talking about PPP’s Khursheed Shah’s statement over the appointment of Kakar, Kundi said that the party has issued a clarification on the matter where it stated that it had given PM Shehbaz the authority to nominate a candidate for the top slot.

For Kundi, it is unlikely the PPP will form an electoral alliance with any party, saying that the party leadership may decide on seat adjustment in some constituencies.

“After the elections, it will depend on the number game. If we secure more seats than the others, then Bilawal Bhutto will be prime minister. We have heard that Nawaz Sharif will be PM if PML-N secures the most seats,” he added.

PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi said that Kakar should not follow Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi who remained in Pakistan only during his tenure as interim PM.

“When someone takes an oath, he promises that he will serve without favouring anyone. Now that Kakar is appointed as caretaker prime minister, he is given a chance to earn a good name for himself and his future generations,” he added.

PTI chief Imran Khan’s lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha said that the role of the interim government is holding free and fair elections.

Talking about Kakar’s statement on the May 9 riots and his criticism of the PTI, Panjutha said that the caretaker prime minister should not give such statements.

“We hope that elections will be held under the law and constitution. We have clear directions from the PTI chief to challenge all the orders coming from Election Commission against us,” he added.