Pakistan's outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition leader Raja Riaz are racing against time to finalize the name of the caretaker premier to oversee general elections later this year, after the president gave them an ultimatum to find a "suitable person" for the appointment by August 12.

Sharif and Riaz began rounds of meetings to pick a caretaker prime minister following the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9.

Sharif told journalists in Islamabad on Friday that he and Opposition leader Raja Riaz would finalize the name by Saturday and the former coalition parties would also be taken on board for political consultations.

“Coalition partners will be taken into confidence over the matter before taking a final decision,” he said.
In a letter to both Prime Minister Sharif and Riaz, President Arif Alvi informed them that under Article 224A they are supposed to propose a name for interim prime minister within three days of the dissolution of the National Assembly.