By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Asif Ali Zardari will be party’s candidate in the election for the office of president, scheduled on September 6.
“Asif Ali Zardari has accepted the unanimous decision of the PPP’s CEC to become candidate for election of presidentship,” Leader of the House in Senate and PPP’s Deputy Secretary General Mian Raza Rabbani told a press conference here at Zardari House Saturday.
Flanked by Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman and Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khurshid Shah, he said leadership of coalition parties have been informed on the decision and “I am sure victory would be of nation and democratic forces.”
He said the CEC’s unanimous nomination for Asif’s candidature has been taken up, keeping in view the efforts of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for the cause of democracy.
About a meeting with PML (N) leadership at Lahore, he said it was formal meeting and they had gone there to inform Nawaz Sharif about PPP’s aspiration to field Asif Zardari for the slot of presidentship.
He said there is no ambiguity in the restoration of deposed judges as PPP is committed to all its agreements made with the coalition partners.
“I cannot give any timeframe for the restoration of judges but I assure that all the judges would be restored,” he remarked.
Raza Rabbani said a special committee has already been constituted to prepare the draft of the resolution regarding reinstatement of judges.
When asked on removing clause of 58(2)b and next Co-Chairman of PPP after designation of Asif Ali Zardari as President, he said decisions in this respect would be taken after the presidential election.
Replying to a question, he dispelled the impression about break-up of coalition, saying it would remain intact as all partners realize the importance of current atmosphere and unity.
“Every political party has its own programmes and goals. The coalition was utterly a new experience in the history of the country and I am sure that it would be successful,” he maintained.
Answering another question, Raza Rabbani said top priority of PPP and its allies was to remove former President Pervez Musharraf whose policies were the sole cause to country’s economic instability, adding, the present government would now totally concentrate on resolution of economic problems and provision of relief to the masses.
He said it is the PPP which has always struggled for the cause of democracy, rule of law, supremacy of constitution and parliament and it would continue spending all of its energies for the betterment of the country and prosperity of the nation.