PML-N may decide to give Gilani’s son a cakewalk

Party could avoid fielding its candidate against Musa Gilani.

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N may avoid fielding a candidate against the prime minister’s son in the upcoming by-elections for the NA-148 seat, vacated by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, after Yousaf Raza Gilani requested Nawaz Sharif for his party’s support.

Former foreign minister Qureshi had resigned from the National Assembly and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) last month and later joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) as the vice chairman of the newly influential political party of the country.

Consequently, the PPP awarded Qureshi’s ticket to Musa Gilani, the premier’s son, for the vacant seat. To this end, party chairman Bilawal Bhutto had urged leaders and workers to support the PM’s son in the upcoming elections.

Though Qureshi’s resignation is yet to be processed completely, premier Gilani has requested Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif not to field a candidate in NA-148 against his son.

PML-N Secretary Information Senator Mushahidullah Khan confirmed to The Express Tribune that Prime Minister Gilani did in fact request Sharif for support in the by-elections.

“We have not taken any decision whether to field our candidate against the PM’s son as yet,” said Mushahidullah Khan.

Qureshi, who had quit the lower house of parliament saying it had become irrelevant, now faces the question of whether to contest the by-elections himself or nominate another candidate to keep his vote bank intact till the next general elections.

“The speaker will process my resignation and I will announce my strategy when it is required,” Qureshi told The Express Tribune.

Responding to a question regarding his plans for the by-elections in his constituency, Qureshi said: “I have chalked out a plan which I will unveil after the announcement of the schedule by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).” The ECP announces the schedule after the National Assembly speaker has processed the resignation of any member.

When questioned about Gilani persuading Nawaz Sharif to support his son, Qureshi voiced PML-N’s statements saying that Gilani was the most incompetent and corrupt prime minister and said: “Their (PML-N) support to PPP in the by-election would prove they are a friendly opposition.”

“If they support each other, then what is the purpose of the ‘Go Zardari Go’ campaign”, he questioned.

Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza had been abroad and resignations submitted by Qureshi and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan have not been processed yet. These resignations are likely to be taken up during the next week.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2011.