Shujaat, Mushahid set to be endorsed as PML president, secretary-general today

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League's 1500-member general council is set to endorse on Saturday Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain for retaining the slots of President and Secretary-General, respectively.
Sources told Business Recorder that Zafarullah Jamali did not file his nomination papers after last-minute intervention by powers that be. A senior party leader said that Jamali could be made PML chairman in due course of time, as PML (N) also had a similar arrangement. As per PML constitution, there is no provision for such a post, but the general council may empower the party president to entertain Jamali.
"I am not aware of any such development. I saw both Shujaat and Jamali coming together and filing nomination papers," Kamil Ali Agha told Business Recorder.
Surprisingly, Jamali's out of the blue decision to contest for Secretary-General's slot did not figure in his detailed meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday night. Jamali, who stays at the Balochistan House, was not available for comments.
The incumbent PML president and secretary filed their nomination papers at 1:00 pm. Jamali, Hamid Nasir Chattha, Gohar Ayub, Majid Malik, Seemi Siddiqui and Zahiruddin proposed Shujaat's name while Ejazul Haq, Nisar A Memon, Mehanaz Rafi, Nisar Khan, Basharat Raja and Azad Bin Haider endorsed it.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Pervaiz Elahi, Jam Yousaf and SM Zafar proposed Mushahid's name and Dr Arbab Rahim, Engr Amir Muqam, Tariq Azeem and Tahir Rasheed endorsed it. Several ministers, senators, MNAs and party workers were present on the occasion.
From 10 am to 2 pm, no other person had submitted nomination papers to the Election Committee headed by Kamil Ali Agha at PML Central Secretariat. The general council will hold its deliberations at a local hotel at 10 am on Saturday.