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Pakistan Peoples Party delays decision to choose PM

By Xinhua

Islamabad : Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Thursday delayed by a couple of days its decision to pick the country’s new prime minister, a party leader said.

“The final decision on the next prime minister will be taken in two days,” Nabeel Gabul, a PPP legislator, told reporters after a party meeting.

The special meeting was convened to nominate the next prime minister after the PPP victory in the Feb 18 elections.

Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, husband of slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto, chaired the crucial meeting of central leaders and members-elect of the National Assembly.

Gabul said the decision on a prime minister was delayed as Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has not yet convened the meeting of the National Assembly to elect a new leader.

“If the president summons the meeting soon, the decision on the prime minister will be taken soon,” Gabul said.

“There could be more delay in the prime minister’s nomination if the president delays summoning of the National Assembly session,” the PPP leader said.

He demanded summoning of the meeting to enable the members to elect a new prime minister, adding that there is no problem in government formation for the PPP.

He said no name of the next premier was discussed in the meeting and there might be more consultations.

He said the PPP had sought commitment in government formation from the PML-N, led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the Awami National Party.

Earlier, another PPP leader, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, told reporters: “It was a meeting for consultations. We are cautiously and gradually moving forward. I hope better results will come out.”

There are a few names for the PM slot but Makhdoom Amin Fahim is considered to be a front-runner in the race.

Born in the town of Hala in southern Sindh, Aug 4, 1939, Fahim has served as acting party chief during Bhutto’s eight-year self-imposed exile.

Zardari is likely to contest the by-election on the vacant seat of Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in a suicide attack Dec 27, 2007.

Election on Bhutto’s constituency was postponed after her death.