ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar Friday categorically described the “much-talked” technocrat setup as unconstitutional, saying there is no room for such a thing in the constitution.
“The technocrat government can be a whimsical idea of somebody but practically it cannot happen,” the Federal Law Minister elaborated on while talking to a private media channel.
Mr Tarar said that the constitution is very lucid about it that if assemblies are dissolved before their terms, then the elections would be held within 90 days and if assemblies go after completing their tenures, then the polls would be held within 60 days.
“If assemblies are dissolved, then a caretaker setup would replace the government”, he added. Replying to a question, Tarar said that there was talk of a technocrat government, but the Constitution of Pakistan does not allow it.
The law minister also rubbished rumours regarding long-term caretaker setup and economic emergency in the country. He suggested that measures to improve the economy be made while remaining within the limits of the constitution.
He hoped that the current elected government could deal with all challenges being faced by the country.
To a query whether the PDM government has contacted with the PTI over the technocrat setup, Nazeer Tarar said that he does not have any knowledge about it.
Earlier yesterday, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry termed the “installing a technocrat government” a “joke”, saying that such a setup would not be able to resolve the prevailing current issues.
His statement comes after senior economist Shabbar Zaidi, in an interview with ARY News yesterday, said that discussions were underway regarding a “caretaker government” — comprising experts — that could replace the Pakistan Democratic Movement given the current economic crises.
Speaking regarding this proposal in a media talk in Islamabad today, Chaudhry said that the idea of sending the current government home and installing a technocrat government for 2.5 years was a big mistake.
He demanded that “such experiments and jokes” with Pakistan must come to an end.
Posing a hypothetical scenario, he said: “You will import a technocrat from the US and have him sit here; he will take a decision [then] there will be criticism [and] rallies against it, [after which] he will leave his shoes here and run away.”
The PTI leader reiterated that the best solution was general elections, arguing that if the government falls, the Constitution had a solution — elections.
He claimed that it was a “straightforward matter” as the Constitution provided a “clearly and precisely written political skeleton for Pakistan”.
