Staff Report

ISLAMABAD:  A total of five candidates on Thursday filed their nomination papers to the National Assembly Secretariat for the coveted slot of Prime Minister of Pakistan, SAMAA reports.

Their candidacy papers were accepted as the new PM will be selected on Friday in National Assembly session.

Pakistan Peoples Party candidates, former Textile Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and former Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Qamar Zaman Kaira filed their papers.

In brief remarks at the national assembly, Shahabuddin showcased his loyalty by thanking Zardari and extending greetings to members of the main ruling party on Benazir Bhutto's birthday. "I am thankful from the bottom of my heart (to Zardari)," he told reporters.

"Today is a special day because it is Benazir Bhutto's birthday and I send my congratulations on this birthday to all party workers," he added.

Besides the ruling coalition, veteran politician Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Sardar Mehtab Abbasi of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) have also filed their papers.

Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza accepted the nomination papers after scrutiny. Thursday was the last day for filing nomination papers. -- AGENCIES