KARACHI: Renewing allegations against the PML-N for having a hidden alliance with the caretaker government, PPP Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari has questioned why caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar did not pick an independent senator and endorsed the appointment of key PML-N leader Ishaq Dar to continue as leader of the house in the Senate.

`In what capacity is Ishaq Darholding the office of leader of the house in Senate? In the Senate, the leader of the house represents the prime minister, Bukhari said, voicing reservations over the issue in an interview on DawnNews.

A week ago, caretaker information minister Murtaza Solangi had informed the Senate that the premier had endorsed Mr Dar as leader of the house and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla as chief whip.

Responding to a question about whether he thought thepremier was involved in ministerial appointments, Mr Bukhari instead asked who had been appointed leader of the house in the Senate.

`The rules say the leader of the house in the Senate is the prime minister`s nominee.

Previously, he (Dar) was Shehbaz Sharif`s nominee. When he (Shehbaz) is no longer the prime minister, then someone else has to assume the office.

`Then why did Mr Kakar make an important PML-N member the leader of thehouse?` he asked.

The PPP leader said as a caretaker premier, Mr Kakar was supposed to be `neutral and independent`, and should have picked an `independent senator` for the role.

In reply to another query, Mr Bukhari said elections were around the corner and the PPP would prefer if the Election Commission of Pakistan took cognisance of the matter. `We can only pinpoint that these two, the caretakers and the PML-N, are in cahoots,` he reiterated.