Five PPP stalwarts in run for Pakistan Premiership
'Pakistan Times' Federal Bureau

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is about to announce the name of candidate for the premiership, it has been confirmed that next PM would be one from the five hot favorite candidates.

“Next PM would be none other but one from Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Yusuf Raza Gillani and Azra Fazal Pechooho,” senior PPP leader Nabeel Gabol Sunday said, adding that candidate for the office of the PM is expected to be announced Tuesday.

He said the Parliamentary Party of PPP would unveil candidates for slots of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly in meeting summoned Monday -the day when newly elected members of the National Assembly (MNAs) would take oath.

Mr Gabol dismissed the rumors of rift within the party ranks over nomination of the premiership candidate and said all the MNAs have authorized co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for the decision.

When asked about his nomination as the Speaker of the NA, Nabeel Gabol said he was unaware of any such decision.

Meanwhile, the Parliament House is set to brace a new history in the making as for the first time, three most popular political parties of the country would hold a joint parliamentary meeting and the MNAs-elect from PPP, PML-N and ANP, the coalition partners, would sit together to strategise for the mammoth gathering.

The meeting, to be held at the Parliament Houes at 10:00a.m. on Monday, would be co-chaired by PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan.

As per sources, the meeting would also decide coalition’s joint candidates for the slots of NA Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Matters pertaining to power sharing in the Federal Cabinet would also come under discussion.

All the three parties would also hold seperate parliamentary party sittings prior to the joint meeting.●