Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has all but confirmed that the Election Act 2017 is set to be amended in order to empower the upcoming caretaker government to take important decisions rather than just run day-to-day operations until a democratically elected government takes over.
In an interview with a private news channel, Dar was questioned whether the Section 230 of the Election Act — which relates to the functions of a caretaker government — was about to be amended.
“To the best of my understanding, yes,” he replied. “I don’t think this is something to hide from the nation. They will find out and it should [indeed] be amended,” Dar said, adding that the nation’s time should not be wasted by having the caretaker government be bogged down solely in “day-to-day” tasks.
He said it would be “inappropriate” for the caretaker prime minister to be concerned only with routine tasks.
Questioned if the caretaker prime minister would have more power to take important decisions after the amendment, Dar said: “He should be [in that position to take major actions].”
Asked if he was in the running for the position of the caretaker prime minister, Dar said it would be “premature” to comment on it, adding that he did not believe in pursuing or desiring any office. He said whoever was chosen as the caretaker prime minister, would continue to have his support as a senator and leader of the house in the Senate. According to Section 230, a caretaker (interim) government shall only perform its functions to attend to day-to-day matters which are necessary to run the affairs of the government. It will assist the Election Commission of Pakistan in holding the general elections in accordance with law and restrict itself to activities that are of routine, non-controversial and urgent nature, in the public interest and can be reversed by a future elected government.
The present law also bars the caretaker government from taking major policy decisions, except on urgent matters. It cannot enter into a major contract or undertaking if it is detrimental to public interest; and it also cannot enter into major international negotiation with any foreign country or international agency; or sign or ratify any international binding instrument, except in an exceptional case.
