Staff Repot

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday chaired a key meeting of Pakistan Peoples Party’s allies to finalise the candidate for the coveted post of Prime Minister, SAMAA reports.

However, it was decided that a final name would be announced on Friday at 11 am.

The meeting, held in the Presidency, was attended by Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, Senator Mushahid Hussain, Babar Ghauri, Farooq Sattar, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Asfand Yar Wali, Afrasiyab Khatak, Munir Ullah Orakzai, Manzoor Watoo and other leaders of PPP-led government’s ally parties.

President Asif Ali Zardari chaired the meeting which was also attended by Khurshid Shah, Navid Qamar and other PPP leaders.

Though, three PPP candidates: Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Qamar Zaman Kaira filed their papers today; sources said the ruling party and allies dropped the name of Makhdoom Shahabuddin following arrest warrants issued to him in ephedrine import case.

In today’s meeting the allies developed consensus over the names of Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Qamar Zaman Kaira and a final candidate of them would be announced on Friday morning. National Assembly session will be held tomorrow to elect the Prime Minister.

According to sources, the MQM has supported Kaira as PM candidate, while PML-Q supported Raja Pervez for the post. However, President Zardari have been empowered to take a final decision in this regard.

Ahead of the meeting, sources said, President Asif Ali Zardari telephoned MQM’s Farooq Sattar and asked him for his faction’s support for PPP candidates.

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.

The JUI-F chief has also contacted MQM chief Altaf Hussain, Aftab Ahmed Sherpao and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain for the support in the National Assembly which is going to elect a PM on Friday.  --- SAMAA