Islamabad: Former Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday called for appointment of an acting prime minister to avoid what he said constitutional crisis in the absence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is to undergo a heart surgery in London on Tuesday.
Speaking to media, Iftikhar Chaudhry said the prime minister could not transfer his powers to a senior member of his cabinet.
He said any notification allowing Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to discharge duties of the premier would be a flagrant violation of the constitution.
“A senior judge is appointed as acting chief justice when chief justice is on a foreign trip and Senate Chairman is appointed as acting president when president leaves the country for a foreign trip” he said.
“A clause in the 8th amendment to the constitution that allowed senior ministers to discharge duties of the PM in his absence was removed” he said.
While wishing Nawaz Shairf an early recovery, Chaudry said as to how the prime minister would be able to discharge his duties during his operation.
