ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday that he did not think PPP was going to join the federal cabinet.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Asif Zardari said his first priority would be to get his ‘friends’ adjusted in the cabinet. Although initially the PPP had conveyed to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other allied parties that it was not interested in joining the federal cabinet, later; however, on the insistence of PML-N there were some signs that the party was considering changing its plan.

Even names of the PPP members short-listed for the purpose also started doing rounds on media. But Zardari’s latest statement seems against all such speculative reports.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has sought suggestions on upcoming local bodies’ elections in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. Bilawal invited party ticket holders, and Central Executive Committee (CEC) members to give suggestions about awarding the tickets.

PPP divisional party presidents of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have been directed to submit suggestions to party secretariat Islamabad.

In this regard, PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said that party tickets for the local bodies’ elections will be given through the provincial party, adding the PPP has also formally contacted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).