Caretaker set up
Big business to dominate
Staff Report/Agencies

ISLAMABAD—President genera Pervez Musharraf has continued consultation process with his close aides and important personalities for installation of care taker set up in centre and provinces and other issues of national importance amid the reports name of care taker prime minister has been finalized and president will himself announce his name.
The caretaker prime minister will be non-political person. Chairman senate Mohammadmian Soomro is also being tipped as strong candidate for the office of caretaker prime minister. Soomro is trusted aide of president Musharraf therefore, he has joined the race for the slot of caretaker prime minister. Sources said Hafeez Sheikh and Ishrat Hussain now stand excluded from this race. However a few more names were presented to the president on Tuesday.
Sources told president Musharraf had finalized the name and he could give surprise in this regard. Sources further told consultation process was in progress for selection of provincial caretaker set up. Abdul Qadir Holipota has come out as credible name for the slot of caretaker chief minister of Sindh. Pir Pagara and chief minister Sindh have been consulted on this matter. Caretaker chief minister in Punjab will be inducted in consultation with Chaudhry’s of Gujarat
Sources revealed chiefs of intelligence agencies also attended the meeting. President Musharraf consulted them on the issues of lifting of emergency and PCO that as to when emergency be lifted and PCO be withdrawn. Sources told if Supreme Court decision on eligibility of president Musharraf for contesting presidential election comes earlier then President Musharraf can take oath for the second term. However he will take the oath for his second term under the constitution as soon as it is restored.
The activities of different opposition parties, long march by Benazir Bhutto and growing international pressure also came under discussion. President termed the announcement made by ministerial c omission of common wealth and setting of deadline by it as very sorrowful and made it clear Pakistan is a sovereign state and “ we will take all decisions in our national interest and no external pressure or dictation will be accepted on this count.
President General Pervez Musharraf has picked Irshad Ullah Khan, a businessman owning several gemstone mines, to head a caretaker government. “Irshad Ullah Khan will be taking oath of office of caretaker prime minister on Thursday,” India media quoted a senior Pakistani official as saying.
Khan is chairman of Middle East Finance Trading Pakistan Private Limited, a pioneer of solar and wind energy systems in the country. He is member of several national and international business associations. Meanwhile, in his introduction available on the Internet, Khan writes, “I am the largest gemstones mine owner in Asia.
I own four ruby mines, one emerald mine, two aquamarine mines, one tourmaline mine, and one topaz mine.”
The official said that the present National Assembly will complete its tenure the same day and incumbent Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will be stepping down. The official said that several names for the ministers’ slots were under consideration, including a leading journalist for the information ministry. Without disclosing the name, the official said that the journalist has independent standing in the country. He said that the President had decided to keep the caretaker cabinet short and it would have a maximum of 15 ministers.