PML-Q president Shujaat Hussain has refused to extend any support to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for his election as President of Pakistan and categorically said on Saturday that the opposition has decided to field its own candidate for presidency.
He was talking to Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer here, who met the PML-Q chief as part of his move to earn support of the opposition for Asif Ali Zardari for election as president. PML-Q sources told Business Recorder that Salmaan had come to meet Shujaat at the latter's residence and asked him to support Asif in presidential election on September 6.
They said that Shujaat categorically told Salmaan that the opposition had decided to field its own candidate for presidential election and the name would be decided on Monday in a meeting of the opposition.
They said that the Governor told PML-Q leader that after breaking its ways with PML-N, PPP has a proposal to take PML-Q on board and include it in Federal Government. They said that the Governor had told Shujaat that if his party voted for Asif as President, matters would be taken forward.
The PML-Q and PPP leaders in the meeting reviewed the alliance in Punjab to form a coalition government of the two parties by throwing PML-N out of the provincial government, sources said.
PML-Q sources said that after meeting with Salmaan, Shujaat started consultation with other party leaders including Pervaiz Elahi. They said that the party leadership is divided on this issue as some are against joining hands with PPP and in favour of fielding own candidate for presidential election.
A group in PML-Q, supporting Manzoor Watto, has shown consent to support Asif Zardari. Party sources said that final decision in this regard is expected on Monday. The PPP CEC has nominated Asif Ali Zardari as presidential candidate. But PML-N has announced its conditional support to Asif Ali Zardari.
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has categorically stated that PML-N would vote for Asif if he abolished 17th amendment and restored the deposed judges, including Iftikhar Chaudhry. PML-N has demanded to table a resolution in Parliament on Monday and after two-day debate in Parliament it should be passed to restore the judges. Analysts are of the view that after getting assurance from PML-N regarding election of Asif as president, PPP would restore the judges by an executive order.
Comments
Comments are closed.