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Yousaf Raza Gillani frontrunner for PM
Abrar Saeed
ISLAMABAD Eventually it will end up between the Syeds from Multan, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, to clinch the slot of premiership, though as a stopgap measure, sources close to the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership disclosed.
On Tuesday Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani came from behind and the party circles started saying that his name for the slot of PM was finalized.
The impression got more strength when Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani held a detailed meeting with party Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari at Zardari House, but as the meeting was one-on-one the details of the discussion between the two leaders did not surface, not even through the sources.
Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, who had a track record of loyalty with the party and also remained behind the bars for his unflinching support for PPP and Benazir Bhutto, was not available for comments on the subject and his cell number was switched off while the staff at his residence said that he was away in connection with some engagement.
Some of the persons close to Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani when contacted said that he was ready to take the job even as a stopgap arrangement and that was the reason he had not vied to get slot in the Federal Cabinet and had also expressed his disinterest in becoming the Speaker, the slot he had held in second stint of Ms Bhutto rule in 90s.
Some party sources further disclosed that after the nomination of Dr Fahmida Mirza for the slot of National Assembly Speaker, the chances of taking the PM from Sindh had reduced further, and now one could say with certainty that the slot of PM would go to the Punjab and most likely to Multan.
The party leaders said that though in fresh development Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani came as front runner for the slot, but the chances of Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi getting the party nomination for the top slot could not be ruled out for a number of reasons.
The party leadership was of the view that Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi was a well-educated and vibrant political figure, who had a very strong religious clout in Sindh and people of Sindh had great regard for him for being the custodian of Holy Shrines in Multan. His nomination would pacify the people of Sindh for ignoring the Makhdoom Amin Fahim who was promised the slot since the assassination of the party chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto.
To a question the party sources disclosed that the coalition partners-PML(N), ANP and JUI(F)-had no objection over the nomination of Makhdoom or Gillani as they had made it clear that they would support whosoever would be nominated by the PPP leadership.
The sources further disclosed that as the matter was now between Asif Ali Zardari and the two strong aspirants for the slot and all the three were tight-lipped over their meetings, it could not be said with certainty that who would be getting the party nomination for the slot, but one thing had turned out to be clear that the PM would be from Punjab and most likely from Multan.
Meanwhile, Secretary National Assembly Tuesday accepted the nomination papers of the candidates of two major political alliances, led by Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam), in the Lower House of the Parliament for the slot of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Dr Fahmida Mirza is all set to become the first lady Speaker of the National Assembly and Faisal Karim Kundi Deputy Speaker as both candidates enjoy the support of the largest coalition in the house led by PPP.
The PML-Q and its allied parties in the Parliament have fielded Sardar Israr Tareen and Khushbakht Shujaat for the slots of Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.
The elections for the slot of Speaker would be held in the National Assembly today (Wednesday) at 11:00am with outgoing Speaker Ch Amir Hussain in the chair while after the election of the Speaker, the newly elected Speaker would conduct the election for the slot of Deputy Speaker.
Dr Fahmida Mirza and Faisal Karim Kundi flanked by PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Farzana Raja, Arbab Muhammad Zahir and others, reached Parliament House around 11:00am and filed their nomination papers with the Secretary National Assembly.
Dr Fahmida was proposed by MNAs Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Farzana Raja, Arbab Muhammad Zahir, Maulana Qasim and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, while Dr Azra Fazal Pichio, Mehreen Anwar Raja, Abdul Mateen Khan and Syed Khurshid Shah proposed Faisal Kundi.
The PML-Q and its allied parties candidate for the slot of Speaker Israr Tareen was proposed by Dr Donia Aziz, SA Iqbal Qadri and Engineer Amir Muqam while Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan, Abdul Qadir Khanzada and Abdul Wasim proposed Khushbakht Shujaat for the slot of Deputy Speaker.
At the time of filing of the nomination papers, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Dr Donia Aziz, Engineer Amir Muqam and others were also present.
The PPP and its coalition partners, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F have the strength of 230 in the house of 342, whereas for the elections of Speaker and Deputy Speaker they would be requiring 172 votes and apparently they would have smooth sailing.
Majority parties candidate for Speaker Dr Fahmida Tuesday vowed to ensure an equitable treatment to all members of the National Assembly. I would work with sincerity and over and above party affiliation, she told media persons after filing nomination papers. I thank my party and the coalition partner for reposing confidence in me and will do every bit to come up to the expectations of the people of Pakistan, she added.
The PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F joint candidate for the slot of Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi said that he would try to play his role in an effective manner for the collective good of the people of Pakistan. Though I am newcomer to the Parliament but I would try to come to the expectations of the parliamentarians as well as the nation, he said.
Dr Fahmida was elected MNA for the third time on the ticket of PPP from Badin and is the wife of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza who has won the provincial assembly seat from the same area. Her husband is a close friend of party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. She has done his MBBS from Liaquat Medical College, Hyderabad, and has been active in politics since long.
Barrister Fasial Kundi was elected to the Lower House of the Parliament for the first time from Dera Ismail Khan and he defeated JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is now the coalition partner and would vote for him.
Kundi belongs to a political family of DI Khan and his father Fazal Karim Kundi had also defeated Fazlur Rehman in the 1990 general elections.
On the other hand, the PML-Q and its coalition partners candidate for Speaker Israr Tareen won the National Assembly election from Loralai, Balochistan, and he defeated PML-N stalwart Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir, while Khushbakht Shujaat succeeded from Karachi, NA-250, on the ticket of MQM.
In the house PML-Q enjoys the strength of 51 members while its coalition partner MQM has 25 members.
The Nation
Abrar Saeed
ISLAMABAD Eventually it will end up between the Syeds from Multan, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, to clinch the slot of premiership, though as a stopgap measure, sources close to the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership disclosed.
On Tuesday Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani came from behind and the party circles started saying that his name for the slot of PM was finalized.
The impression got more strength when Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani held a detailed meeting with party Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari at Zardari House, but as the meeting was one-on-one the details of the discussion between the two leaders did not surface, not even through the sources.
Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, who had a track record of loyalty with the party and also remained behind the bars for his unflinching support for PPP and Benazir Bhutto, was not available for comments on the subject and his cell number was switched off while the staff at his residence said that he was away in connection with some engagement.
Some of the persons close to Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani when contacted said that he was ready to take the job even as a stopgap arrangement and that was the reason he had not vied to get slot in the Federal Cabinet and had also expressed his disinterest in becoming the Speaker, the slot he had held in second stint of Ms Bhutto rule in 90s.
Some party sources further disclosed that after the nomination of Dr Fahmida Mirza for the slot of National Assembly Speaker, the chances of taking the PM from Sindh had reduced further, and now one could say with certainty that the slot of PM would go to the Punjab and most likely to Multan.
The party leaders said that though in fresh development Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani came as front runner for the slot, but the chances of Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi getting the party nomination for the top slot could not be ruled out for a number of reasons.
The party leadership was of the view that Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi was a well-educated and vibrant political figure, who had a very strong religious clout in Sindh and people of Sindh had great regard for him for being the custodian of Holy Shrines in Multan. His nomination would pacify the people of Sindh for ignoring the Makhdoom Amin Fahim who was promised the slot since the assassination of the party chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto.
To a question the party sources disclosed that the coalition partners-PML(N), ANP and JUI(F)-had no objection over the nomination of Makhdoom or Gillani as they had made it clear that they would support whosoever would be nominated by the PPP leadership.
The sources further disclosed that as the matter was now between Asif Ali Zardari and the two strong aspirants for the slot and all the three were tight-lipped over their meetings, it could not be said with certainty that who would be getting the party nomination for the slot, but one thing had turned out to be clear that the PM would be from Punjab and most likely from Multan.
Meanwhile, Secretary National Assembly Tuesday accepted the nomination papers of the candidates of two major political alliances, led by Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam), in the Lower House of the Parliament for the slot of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Dr Fahmida Mirza is all set to become the first lady Speaker of the National Assembly and Faisal Karim Kundi Deputy Speaker as both candidates enjoy the support of the largest coalition in the house led by PPP.
The PML-Q and its allied parties in the Parliament have fielded Sardar Israr Tareen and Khushbakht Shujaat for the slots of Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.
The elections for the slot of Speaker would be held in the National Assembly today (Wednesday) at 11:00am with outgoing Speaker Ch Amir Hussain in the chair while after the election of the Speaker, the newly elected Speaker would conduct the election for the slot of Deputy Speaker.
Dr Fahmida Mirza and Faisal Karim Kundi flanked by PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Farzana Raja, Arbab Muhammad Zahir and others, reached Parliament House around 11:00am and filed their nomination papers with the Secretary National Assembly.
Dr Fahmida was proposed by MNAs Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Farzana Raja, Arbab Muhammad Zahir, Maulana Qasim and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, while Dr Azra Fazal Pichio, Mehreen Anwar Raja, Abdul Mateen Khan and Syed Khurshid Shah proposed Faisal Kundi.
The PML-Q and its allied parties candidate for the slot of Speaker Israr Tareen was proposed by Dr Donia Aziz, SA Iqbal Qadri and Engineer Amir Muqam while Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan, Abdul Qadir Khanzada and Abdul Wasim proposed Khushbakht Shujaat for the slot of Deputy Speaker.
At the time of filing of the nomination papers, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Dr Donia Aziz, Engineer Amir Muqam and others were also present.
The PPP and its coalition partners, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F have the strength of 230 in the house of 342, whereas for the elections of Speaker and Deputy Speaker they would be requiring 172 votes and apparently they would have smooth sailing.
Majority parties candidate for Speaker Dr Fahmida Tuesday vowed to ensure an equitable treatment to all members of the National Assembly. I would work with sincerity and over and above party affiliation, she told media persons after filing nomination papers. I thank my party and the coalition partner for reposing confidence in me and will do every bit to come up to the expectations of the people of Pakistan, she added.
The PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F joint candidate for the slot of Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi said that he would try to play his role in an effective manner for the collective good of the people of Pakistan. Though I am newcomer to the Parliament but I would try to come to the expectations of the parliamentarians as well as the nation, he said.
Dr Fahmida was elected MNA for the third time on the ticket of PPP from Badin and is the wife of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza who has won the provincial assembly seat from the same area. Her husband is a close friend of party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. She has done his MBBS from Liaquat Medical College, Hyderabad, and has been active in politics since long.
Barrister Fasial Kundi was elected to the Lower House of the Parliament for the first time from Dera Ismail Khan and he defeated JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is now the coalition partner and would vote for him.
Kundi belongs to a political family of DI Khan and his father Fazal Karim Kundi had also defeated Fazlur Rehman in the 1990 general elections.
On the other hand, the PML-Q and its coalition partners candidate for Speaker Israr Tareen won the National Assembly election from Loralai, Balochistan, and he defeated PML-N stalwart Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir, while Khushbakht Shujaat succeeded from Karachi, NA-250, on the ticket of MQM.
In the house PML-Q enjoys the strength of 51 members while its coalition partner MQM has 25 members.
The Nation
