By IANS
Islamabad : Legal experts have questioned the appointment of Muhammadmian Soomro as Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister without his stepping down as the senate chairman.
“Experts believe the constitution, though suspended, and the rules of the business do not have any such provision. Under the constitution, the senate chairman could only become acting/temporary president,” The News said Sunday.
Attorney General Malik Qayyum said that going by the constitution, such an appointment could not be made but since the constitution was presently held in abeyance, it had become possible.
The attorney general said he had heard an amendment had been made in the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) to enable the senate chairman to become the acting prime minister. He, however, was not sure if the amendment had actually been introduced.
“The question of the legality of the appointment of Muhammadmian Soomro is not new as such questions were also raised when he was appointed senate chairman after completing his stint as governor of Sindh,” The News said.
At that time, it was argued that the constitution would need to be amended as governors could not become members of parliament till two years after leaving office.
The amendment was, however, not effected.