ISLAMABAD:
The nominations are out, and the leading party seems poised for a showdown with the judiciary.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari nominated late Wednesday night former health and textile minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin as the candidate for the new prime minister and former water and power minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf as the covering candidate.
Both candidates have had friction with the apex court recently.
Ashraf, who faces serious corruption allegations, was among those against whom the chief justice had ordered legal proceedings in the rental power plants case. Shahabuddin, meanwhile, was alleged to have approved the unauthorised drug quotas that led to the ephedrine scandal involving former premier’s son Ali Musa Gilani.
According to APP, however, Shahabuddin took up the ephedrine quota case himself in the National Assembly much before it reared its head.
“I have directed the Secretary Ministry of Health to constitute a joint investigation team of two credible and competent officers ... the team will submit a report of the two firms which were given illegal quota of ephedrine,” APP quoted Shahabuddin as telling lawmakers on the floor of the house on February 4, 2011.
Election process
Shahabuddin will file his nomination papers before the 2pm deadline on Thursday (today).
The speaker will scrutinise the nominations in the presence of the candidates, their proposers and seconders within an hour after the nominations are filed to her office.
Voting for the new prime minister will take place at 5:30 pm on Friday.
Under the Constitution, only a Muslim member of the National Assembly can contest for the office of prime minister, and has to be elected by a majority of the 342-member lower house of parliament, which comes to 172 votes. The PPP-led coalition enjoys a comfortable majority to secure the votes for its candidate to get elected.
Defiant Zardari
Earlier in the day, a defiant but poised President Zardari told lawmakers from his party that he would see the party through what he termed was a fresh wave of conspiracy.
“Don’t worry. I know very well how to deal with these challenges. Have trust in me and I will lead you out of the crisis,” President Zardari is said to have told a meeting of the PPP parliamentary party.
The huddle of PPP lawmakers from the National Assembly, however, did not discuss any name for the top slot – even though it was reported that the meeting was called for this purpose. However, the president took the opportunity to galvanise his party.
PPP officials said the parliamentary party had empowered the president to pick the candidate of his choice and assured him their complete support.
“Whosoever you select, appoint, or nominate for the position, we will support your choice,” a senior member said, with other lawmakers raising their hands to endorse his suggestion.
Responding to lawmakers’ expression of trust on him, President Zardari promised them he would choose a person best suited to the country and to the party. “I will choose the best amongst us … I will never let you down,” a legislator quoted the president as saying.
The meeting, at President Zardari’s official residence, lasted for almost three hours. During the gathering, the president and several senior members of PPP, showered generous praise on Gilani for his ‘relentless’ services and ‘unmatched’ sacrifices for the party.
“He is close to our hearts,” Zardari said while talking about Gilani. The president then held the former premier’s arm and said: “You are our lifetime prime minister.”
Frontrunners
Shahabuddin beat water and power minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar and religious affairs minister Syed Khursheed Shah to secure the nomination for the top slot.
Sources say Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, PPP’s allied party, had reservations over Mukhtar’s appointment. However, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, after a party meeting on Wednesday, told journalists that they had no reservations over Mukhtar’s name.
Meanwhile, Hina Rabbani Khar was also said to have entered the fray, given that she, too, is from southern Punjab.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2012.
COMMENTS (25)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Sensing the next elections results, PPP may not get that much seats but remain the major party alongwith PMLN. However, keeping in consideration the compromising and accomodating policy of PPP and drawing hardlines by PMLN, most likely PPP will be going to make another government. All those who are ashamed now might be facing another shame in the next elections. ch ch ch ch....
Shame, indeed great shame for all of us. What will the world think of us? Is PPP bent upon derailing democracy? What have we, the ordinary people, done to deserve this? May Allah swt be mrciful and give Pakistan peace, security, prosperity and progress under honest and enlightened leaders. Aameen
Another culprit for PMship got kicked out. What this government has delivered in 4 years is only pain to common people. Long Live SC..................
Some Pakistanis don't like anybody ,they will find faults with everyone looking at the above comments,may be you should get an Indian or Arab as your PM
@Nasir: I agree Hina Rabbani Khar or Sherry Rehman IF PPP wanted to sort out the mess but remember they are only interested in ruling this country. Makhdoom Shahabuddin is already involved in that drug scam and there was a news yesterday on another paper that Anti Narcotics Unit is soon going to arrest him .. thus Zardari wants to use his pawn for his greed of power only. He has thrown his bait again thus can have more victim cards before the elections .. get rid of this guy and he will have a perfect slogan to win next elections.
Really it is shamful that ppp is failed to find one single person left over whom the nation can rely upon
“Shahabuddin, meanwhile, was alleged to have approved the unauthorised drug quotas that led to the ephedrine scandal involving former premier’s son Ali Musa Gilani.”
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Hopefully the criteria for selection was not knee deep involvement in corruption
Dear sir i want future pakistan pm Hina Rabani khar
Hina Rabbani Khar is a suitable candidate for the position of PM.
One good thing though - he is well known in the world capitals due to his chemical dealings. Therefore no one can accuse PPP of selecting an non-entity as PM. He is particularly famous in Australia.
His selection will further upgrade Pakistan's standing in the comity of Nations.
ps: I was wondering how CNN's Becky will conduct his interview. Am sure it will be a psychedelic hit !!
“Don’t worry. I know very well how to deal with these challenges. Have trust in me and I will lead you out of the crisis,”
Alas , I wish if Zardari has theses word to the nation whose President he is, then today we won't have been in the deep crises as we are now. Enjoying the perks and delivering nothing shame on him.
The older Makhdoom is replaced by a new Makhdoom.
King is dead, Long Live the King.
We already had , Chaudrys, Sharifs, Bhuttos, Zardaris...and now the Makhdooms.
When the people will rule the people??
And the Count Down begins, Afresh.
Najam Sethi was right... a short term strategy.
i think its time for sindhis to decide their and pakistan's future.
Does PPP not have one single CLEAN person left for this post?
so basically corruption and allegations or some sort of pending supreme court case is the criteria to become a PM of Pakistan?
“Greece gets 4th PM in just 8 months” Financial crisis hits Greece” Greece and Pakistan has lot of things in common apart from the visit of the Alexander the great. BTW: Ex FM Qureshi is probably regretting leaving PPP. Non sexy portpolio ministers do become PM.
Who else Zardari could nominate, the thugs and looter know each other well and scratching each others back. Perhaps Pakistani nation deserve these criminals because they put them there time after time.
What are this gentleman's credentials - by that I mean achievements not based on hs feudal.family loyalty status? Not being sarcastic here. Asking a genuine question to my Pakistani friends on this site. One had never heard of this person's name until today.
“Whosoever you select, appoint, or nominate for the position, we will support your choice,” a senior member said. and that is what we call Democracy in Pakistan and Democracy within the parties.
Who really cares. One Makhdoom out and another in and also he is the one who is already nominated in Drug Smuggling case and his case is already in the court and PPP know that Two Siasi Shaheeds by Supreme Court will make them a real victim of Judiciary as his Case is already in Court and many people knew he is going to be indicted soon.
"Shahabuddin, meanwhile, was alleged to have approved the unauthorised drug quotas that led to the ephedrine scandal involving former premier’s son Ali Musa Gilani."
Allah help Pakistan, Amen.
Mark my words, 6 months before the elections, Bhutto Zinda hai chants are gonna start, and they will start mentioning BB death and ZB death over and over again, so that they can benefit just like they did from the previous elections. Nieve people of pakistan will vote for Zardari again for the sake of BB and ZB. Their Bank accounts even overflowing with Pakistan's People money, they will still want more. Good luck Pakistan