News
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Gillani emerges as frontrunner for PM slot?
By Zulfiqar Ghuman
ISLAMABAD: Yousaf Raza Gillani, the vice chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), appeared to be leading the race for the office of prime minister, a senior PPP member told Daily Times on Tuesday. “Though Gillani played cool in the nerve-wracking race for the premiership among four PPP stalwarts, he is in the lead, and likely to be the ultimate winner,” he said on the condition of anonymity. PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had made up his mind, but would announce the name after President Pervez Musharraf summons the session for the ascertainment of the leader of the house, he said. “If the president summons the session on Wednesday [today], Zardari may announce the name of the premiership candidate on the same day,” he said. However, the PPP was getting indications that the president could delay the session beyond March 23, he said, adding that in that case Zardari would not declare his candidate for prime minister before time. He said Gillani would be at the helm of affairs for a brief period. “In fact he will be there to pave the way for Zardari to become prime minister as per the wishes of party parliamentarians and workers,” he said.
Courtesy Daily Times