ID :
16843
Sun, 08/24/2008 - 01:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/16843
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Ruling PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari to run for Pakistan President
Islamabad, Aug 23 PPI: The leading party in ruling coalition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Saturday announced it would field party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for the country's President elections due to be held on September 6.
``The party has unanimously decided to nominate Mr Zardari for country's top office and I announce that he (Zardari) has accepted the nomination,'' PPP top leader Senator Raza Rabbani said at a press conference here.
The President's office fell vacant Monday when Pervez Musharraf resigned to avoid impeachment by the parliament.
Rabbani said PPP parliamentarians and central executive committee of the party had asked Zardari to run for President and he had agreed.
The major coalition partner Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz reacted cautiously to announcement, saying their support for Zardari depends on restoration of judges sacked by Musharraf and constitutional package to withdraw certain powers of the President.
``We'll decide (whether to support Zardari) in our meeting tomorrow (Sunday),'' Nawaz Sharif PML-N Chief, said in Lahore. ``We have no objection on Zardari's nomination but they (PPP) should have taken coalition partners into confidence.''Apparently there is no serious challenge to Zardari and he will have smooth sailing in polls as the opposition led by former ruling party PML- Quaid-e-Azam is not in a position to provide serious contest. But if PML-N, which is second largest party in parliament, decides to contest Presidential polls, Zardari may have a problem.
``The President's office is not a joke. It's very important for states, and to avoid further destabilisation in the country, PPP has nominated Zardari for the post,'' Rabbani said.
He said PPP was confident that PML-N and other two parties in the coalition - Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) ``will stay within the coalition and will not destabilise the system which has started gaining roots in the country.''Without answering any query on restoring judges, Rabbani said all issues with the allies would be resolved soon.
``The party has unanimously decided to nominate Mr Zardari for country's top office and I announce that he (Zardari) has accepted the nomination,'' PPP top leader Senator Raza Rabbani said at a press conference here.
The President's office fell vacant Monday when Pervez Musharraf resigned to avoid impeachment by the parliament.
Rabbani said PPP parliamentarians and central executive committee of the party had asked Zardari to run for President and he had agreed.
The major coalition partner Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz reacted cautiously to announcement, saying their support for Zardari depends on restoration of judges sacked by Musharraf and constitutional package to withdraw certain powers of the President.
``We'll decide (whether to support Zardari) in our meeting tomorrow (Sunday),'' Nawaz Sharif PML-N Chief, said in Lahore. ``We have no objection on Zardari's nomination but they (PPP) should have taken coalition partners into confidence.''Apparently there is no serious challenge to Zardari and he will have smooth sailing in polls as the opposition led by former ruling party PML- Quaid-e-Azam is not in a position to provide serious contest. But if PML-N, which is second largest party in parliament, decides to contest Presidential polls, Zardari may have a problem.
``The President's office is not a joke. It's very important for states, and to avoid further destabilisation in the country, PPP has nominated Zardari for the post,'' Rabbani said.
He said PPP was confident that PML-N and other two parties in the coalition - Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) ``will stay within the coalition and will not destabilise the system which has started gaining roots in the country.''Without answering any query on restoring judges, Rabbani said all issues with the allies would be resolved soon.
