Mukhtar to be stopgap PM?

[mujahideen]

Mukhtar to be stopgap PM?

MUBASHIR HASSAN and NAVEED BUTT

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD - As the PPP leadership is seemingly indecisive over nomination of its future prime minister, senior party leader Ch Ahmad Mukhtar is being tipped as the next PM, but he would stay in office only for a brief period of 100 to 120 days, later to be replaced by some other party man, most probably party co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, who is not an MNA.
Ahmad Mukhtar is also being provided security of a prime minister, and party may formally announce his name by Monday next, said a party source, adding that Ahmed Mukhtar has also been asked to stay in Islamabad by party leadership. “If the party decides to nominate someone as PM from Punjab, it will be none else but Ch Ahmad Mukhtar,” a highly-placed party source confided to The Nation on Friday.
“Ahmad Mukhtar would be elected as PM for three to four months only, as party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari would replace him after his election as MNA from a Larkana seat in the by-polls”, the source further said, and added that party might make a formal announcement in this regard by Monday next.
Chaudhry Mukhtar defeated President PML-Q, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from Gujrat in February 18 general elections. He also served as federal minister for commerce from 1993 to 1996 during second tenure of the PPP government.
When contacted by The Nation, Ch Ahmad Mukhtar neither denied nor confirmed his reported nomination for the PM slot. He just contented to say that several names including Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Yousuf Raza Gillani and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were under consideration, but no final decision had been made as yet.
When asked whether his name was also under consideration, Ch Mukhtar said party might consider any MNA from the party for the prestigious slot including him, but hurried to add that he had no knowledge of any such development.
The PPP’s Secretary Information Sherry Rehman’s Friday statement that next PM could be from any province also gives credence to reports that name of Ahmad Mukhtar for PM slot has almost been finalised. She told a private TV channel on Friday that it was not necessary that next prime minister would be from Sindh. Sherry said party had not yet finalised the name of its future PM, but it might be done in the next couple of days, as it was mulling several names including Amin Fahim.
Ever since the sad demise of party chairman Benazir Bhutto, and later emerging as the single largest party in the National Assembly as a result of February 18 polls, the PPP has been facing the tough challenge of deciding its candidates for the premiership. On third day of her death, Zardari announced that Makhdoom Amin Fahim would be party candidate for the PM slot, but later the party changed its stance. It was said that party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) would take a decision about its future PM. The CEC had several meetings in the last 10 days to finalise a consensus candidate, but failed to do so amid striking difference of opinion among its members. It finally decided to give the authority to party Co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari to nominate the candidate of his choice for the said office.
Until a few days back, the name of Makhdoom Amin Fahim was echoing in party circles as the future PM, and he was also being provided state security on account of this status.

Naveed Butt from Islamabad adds: PPP has not finalised any name for the Leader of the House in the National Assembly. A number of names, including that of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Shah Mehmood Qurashi and Yousaf Raza Gullani, were reportedly being considered for the slot, but now the name Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar has also been included for the one of the most coveted post. Ahmed Mukhtar, who also remained Commerce Minister in the last PPP government, defeated PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, president of PML-Q.
However, a source privy to the developments told TheNation that hectic efforts are being made in Zaradari House in this regard and lobbying has reached its zenith.
The sources said that the PPP is finding a suitable candidate for Prime Minster slot for 90 days and after it Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari would be nominated as prime minister. They said that Asif Ali Zardari would contest by-election.
The sources also said that most of the members of Central Executive Committee are in favour of Makhdoom Amin Fahim but they are not expressing candidly in the meeting. The sources said that many doubts are being created in political wings.
However, PPP Spokesman Farhatullah Babar told TheNation that the party has not decided about the Prime Minister so far. He said that CEC of the party would soon decide about it before the session of the National Assembly.
He said that it is wrong to say that the prime minister would not nominated from Sindh Province. He said that the all reports of media are wrong about the nomination of Ahmed Mukhtar as prime minster.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar said while talking to the media that he also being tipped for the post of prime minister. However, he said that Center Executive Committee would finally decide about it.
He said that there is no fissure among the party on the name of premiership. He said that leadership of the party would decide in this regard.
Answering a question, he said that the party has won election with majority and positive discussions is underway with other political parties, including PML-N, ANP, MQM, JUI-F for the formation of government at center and in provinces.

The Nation

 

[mujahideen]

Gillani emerges frontrunner for PM slot

By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: With ominous signs that the next PPP prime minister would not be from Sindh, former Speaker Yousuf Raza Gillani has emerged as the main frontrunner, with Shah Mehmud Qureshi and Ahmed Mukhtar of Gujrat also in the run.

PPP sources, however, say Gillani, a senior PPP Vice Chairman who was kept in jail for many years on frivolous charges, is the choice of Asif Zardari. Interestingly, at an off-the-record briefing for Islamabad journalists on Friday night, Gillani was the only candidate present.

PPP sources say Asif Ali Zardari himself is very firm on not contesting the PM election and wants to stay as the ‘kingmaker” in the Sonia Gandhi model, keeping the government of national consensus together.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim appears to have run into some problems because of his reported meetings with some important people in Islamabad without the knowledge of Zardari. He is said to have informed the Co-chairman about the meetings afterwards.

About Zardari contesting the by-elections, PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar said at this point of time Asif had not yet shown any such intention; rather, has been saying in his interviews that he would not be contesting the elections soon.

When Babar was told that a party source had told this correspondent that he intended to contest the by-elections, he said, “I can’t say.” Though many Pakistan People’s Party leaders do not believe that there would be any other choice for the office of the prime minister but Makhdoom Amin Fahim, some party insiders told this correspondent that no matter who among the top runners was picked up for the top government slot, it would remain an interim arrangement.

Zardari, they said, would contest the by-election for the National Assembly from Larkana NA-207, the constituency where slain Benazir Bhutto was contesting for the February 18 polls at the time of her assassination. However, because of her murder on December 27, the election in that constituency was postponed.

Although, Amin Fahim was in the run until recently, Yousuf Raza Gillani and Shah Mehmud Qureshi are considered as the frontrunners. On the third day of her assassination when the party’s central executive committee nominated Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the party’s chairman, Zardari had announced that Amin Fahim would be the party’s candidate for the prime ministership whereas he himself would like to run the party affairs while sitting outside the government.

He had also stated that Benazir wanted him to stay out of politics and that was the very reason that he did not participate in the elections. Later, not only a foreign newspaper quoted him as saying that he was the most suitable person in the party to become the party’s candidate for the prime minister but his close confidant Babar Awan also publicly named him as the candidate of the party for the office of the country’s chief executive.

“There is no one single personality [in the party], apart from me who anybody even knows. No one else has a consensus. The fact of the matter is that there’s nobody in the party with my seniority who’s been to prison for 11 years,” Zardari said in his interview to the American weekly, Newsweek.

Zardari later said about his remarks that he was misquoted. Regarding Awan’s statement, the PPP came up with the explanation that it was Awan’s personal view and not that of the party. Awan’s closeness to Zardari is, however, a conspicuous fact.

Though generally the party leaders say the PPP central executive committee would decide as to who would become the prime minister, sources close to Zardari said he had taken a decision to the effect.

Sherry Rehman, the party’s information secretary, said in Geo’s Capital Talk on Friday that the PPP had not yet decided as to who would be its candidate for the prime ministership. She said Amin Fahim had not been named as the party’s candidate, and added that the prime minister’s candidate could be picked up from the Punjab.

She also referred to some reports quoting Amin Fahim as saying that he was the candidate for the lucrative post. She is considered Zardari’s close aide and is reportedly aspiring for the foreign ministry.

Some old hands in the party, however, are of the view that if the CEC is to really decide the PPP’s nominee for the premiership, Amin Fahim would be the only consensus candidate. These leaders apprehend that the party would possibly split if Zardari himself became the prime minister but denied the slot to Amin Fahim.

Ahmad Mukhtar, whose name was also discussed a few days back amongst the top runners, on Friday said the party would decide as to who would become the prime minister. He confirmed that his name was being discussed though neither he nor any of his party colleagues had applied for the slot.

Gillani emerges frontrunner for PM slot

 

[mujahideen]

Mukhtar, Qureshi, Gillani in run for premiership

* Top slot likely to go to Punjab to avoid Sindh power concentration

By Rana Qaisar

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is most likely to nominate its candidate for the slot of prime minister from the Punjab and top contenders for the position are Ahmad Mukhtar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Yousaf Raza Gillani. Although Amin Fahim was pronounced the PPP’s parliamentary leader after the death of Benazir Bhutto, insiders said a consensus could not be built in the party on his candidature. “It seems he (Fahim) is out of the race,” an insider close to PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari told Daily times. Top slot: The reason for the change of heart is that Zardari also belongs to Sindh. If Fahim is nominated for the slot of PM, the party’s top hierarchy would belong to only one province and Punjab will be neglected at a time when the party needs to be strengthened in the province. But Zardari is not dropping any hints about the PPP’s candidate because he is assessing the political situation and analysing the ground realities. Following a disagreement in the party on Fahim’s candidature, Ahmad Mukhtar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Yousaf Raza Gillani have started lobbying for the top slot. “All these three candidates are PPP loyalists and choosing one of them will be a strategic decision,” a PPP source privy to the latest development said. Qureshi and Gillani belong to southern Punjab where the party is already strong. But the leadership is of the view that the PPP needs to be strengthened in central Punjab. “This is why the name of Ahmad Mukhtar came up and he had a meeting with Zardari on Friday,” the source said, adding that his qualification for the top slot was that he had defeated PML-Quaid President Shujaat Hussain in the latter’s stronghold. Qureshi is Cambridge educated and without any blot on his character. And like Fahim, he has also resisted pressure from different quarters to switch loyalty. Gillani is a former NA speaker and has suffered in jail for a long time. But like Qureshi, he also belongs to southern Punjab.

Courtesy Daily Times

 

[mujahideen]

Race on as Fahim’s star sinks

By Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD, Feb 29: The Pakistan People’s Party, the largest party in the newly elected National Assembly, is still undecided about its candidate for the office of the prime minister and sources attributed the delay to co-chairman Asif Zardari’s reluctance to nominate Makhdoom Amin Fahim for the post.

The sources said some PPP leaders, considered to be close confidants of Mr Zardari, were deliberately spreading confusion over the issue of premiership by presenting different names as probable candidates.

They said that almost all the party leaders in Sindh and a number of MNAs-elect from Punjab were backing Mr Fahim while some were lobbying for Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani and Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar -- all from Punjab.

The issue was complicated further as Mr Zardari allowed the guessing game to go on without even taking his close aides into confidence on merits or demerits of each of the probables.

According to a reliable source, except for Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, the other three probables for the prime minister’s office were at the Zardari House till late Friday night.

Some PPP leaders believe that Mr Zardari is reluctant to nominate Mr Fahim because he (Mr Zardari) himself was a contender for the office.

“It is natural. It will be difficult for Mr Zardari to ask a person like Mr Fahim to relinquish the office of the prime minister for him after three months or so,” said a senior party leader when asked about reasons for the delay in naming the party’s candidate.

He confirmed that some “Zardari friends” had launched a “whispering campaign” within the party to highlight alleged weak points of Mr Fahim. “There is a campaign going on within the party to malign Mr Fahim and some senior leaders are also involved in it,” he added.

He said the “Zardari friends” were telling others that Mr Fahim was close to some people in the establishment and he had been engaged in negotiations with them over the past six years. The PPP leader, who did not want to be named, said he had even been told by one of the campaigners that President Musharraf had asked Mr Zardari to appoint Mr Fahim as prime minister and the PPP co-chairman did not want to see a Musharraf’s man as prime minister.

On Friday, Mr Fahim met US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson at the residence of PPP Senator Enver Baig and some party leaders alleged that the meeting had taken place without the knowledge of Mr Zardari.

However, Mr Baig told Dawn that the meeting had been held at the request of the US ambassador and Mr Zardari was fully aware of it. He said as the PPP was a government-in-waiting, the US and other countries wanted to know about its future policies.

PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar, however, denied that there was any rift or division in the party over the issue of premiership and said that an announcement in this respect would be made in a couple of days to end such speculations.

He said all members of the PPP’s central executive committee and parliamentary group had been alerted for a possible meeting in the next few days to designate their parliamentary leader.

MEETINGS: National Party chief Abdul Hayee Baloch and former minister Jahangir Khan Tareen separately called on Mr Zardari on Friday and discussed possibilities of cooperation in the future set-up.

Mr Tareen had refused PML-Q’s ticket and contested the elections from the PML-F platform.

Akram Durrani and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal held talks with a PPP team led by Raza Rabbani at the Parliament House. The meeting was the follow-up of talks held on Thursday between top leadership of the two parties.

EU Ambassadors Johannes De Kok and Ambassador of Japan Siji Kojima also called on Mr Zardari.

Race on as Fahim’s star sinks -DAWN - Top Stories; March 01, 2008

 

[BATMAN]

I think Mukhtar would be fair choice but what the hell does 'fill gap measure' means?
Now they cannot even find an appropirate candidate? I guess many of us knew it all along.
Imagine if Musharraf dissappears, whom would they nominate President?

Its not hard to imagine how and how long the parliment will work?
Instead of working towards national development, all the time they will be fighting for ministries?

Our political parties lack leaders. Party tickets go to higher bidder or obidients and both types can only bring disaster to Pakistan.
Very soon will began the second round of bidding, and horses will recover their money spent on buying party tickets. Fair enough!!

 

[MOSABJA]

Well these speculations are over now .

As Zardari has clearly mentioned that neither he would take part in BY ELECTIONS

nor

does he intends to be a PM.

So whosoever is the PM will be the REAL PM not a PROXY like SHUJAAT.