Islamabad, June 7 (TNS): Allaudin Marri has been appointed as caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan and Professor Hassan Askari the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab.
Election Commission official made the announcement following two separate meetings of the commission on the matter in Islamabad on Thursday.
The appointments have been made in accordance with article 224 of the constitution.
The name of Hassan Askari was recommended by the opposition in Punjab whilst that of Allaudin Marri by the Balochistan government.
Addressing a press conference outside the ECP office, ECP’s additional secretary Dr Akhtar Nazeer said that the provincial government and the opposition had sent four names for deliberation.
Born in 1980 in Mastung, Marri got a degree in engineering from Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology in Khuzdar. But, he started his own business after completing the study.
With no political affiliation, he had submitted nomination papers for recent Senate elections but did not take part in it.
The matter was referred to the election body as a meeting of the parliamentary committee to decide the name bore no fruit after members of the government boycotted the session, saying the names proposed by the opposition are controversial.
The former government had suggested the names of Sardar Shoukat Popalzai and Allauddin Marri for the interim provincial chief executive while the former opposition had pitched the names of Mohammad Aslam Bhutani and Ashraf Jahangir Qazi.
The six members of the parliamentary committee included Sarfraz Chakar Domki, Tahir Mahmood Khan, Amanullah Notezai and opposition members include Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Dr Abdul Maalik Baloch, and Liaquat Agha.
After the Marri, the process of appointing caretaker chief ministers in all the four provinces has completed.
The general elections are set to be held on July 25 as President Mamnoon Hussain approved a summary sent by the ECP.
