Indicating the possibility of a clandestine agreement, Omar Farooq, a senior leader and Senator of the Awami National Party (ANP), asserted on Monday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had given its approval for the appointment of a caretaker prime minister after settling the matter concerning the upcoming government. Speaking exclusively to Naeem Ashraf, the Head of Investigations at ARY News, Farooq suggested that there might have been a tacit understanding between the two parties regarding the impending tenure, implying that the PML-N had compromised on the selection of the caretaker prime minister.
Furthermore, Farooq contended that while files against leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) could potentially be reopened during the interim setup, the PML-N seemed to be in a relatively secure position.
He went on to claim that the PML-N's intention was to extend the interim setup until the return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan. Expressing regret, Farooq criticized the PML-N for making decisions against the principles of democracy and the interests of the people solely to regain power, stating that ANP should not have supported such a government and instead opposed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government at that time.
Farooq warned that what is currently happening with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could very well happen to ANP in the future, emphasizing that the thirst for power among certain political parties often leads to secretive agreements that ultimately undermine the functioning of the Parliament.
He further noted that the PDM government had failed to deliver any substantial benefits to the people over the past 16 months. Farooq stressed the importance of timely elections as a constitutional right in the country and cautioned that any delay in holding elections would become a significant issue.