ISLAMABAD: A consensus, by the opposition and the government, was reached on the candidate for the caretaker prime minister on Saturday.

A consultation session is underway to decide on the candidates for the caretaker federal cabinet.

The incumbent government also solicited suggestions for a caretaker chief minister in Punjab from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The prime minister and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah also consulted over the caretaker chief ministers for Sindh and Balochistan, sources added.

In response to a question if the caretaker prime minister is from a smaller province, the opposition leader said that answering the question would ‘disclose everything.’

Shah also said that there was no restriction on the gender of the candidate. It could be a male or female, he said.

He further said it was not necessary that one of the candidates being discussed on the media was the one finalized for the position.

“We are making efforts to reach a consensus on an uncontroversial candidate,” he said. “The candidate’s name will be announced after I meet the prime minister on Tuesday.”