ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party chief Asif Ali Zardari's prospects for presidency brightened on Sunday with leaders of two prominent parties backing his bid, even as he claimed the 'establishment' is with him in his quest to succeed Pervez Musharraf.
Jamiat Ulema-e Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said his party's 48 members in Parliament -- National Assembly and Senate -- and provincial assembles of NWFP and Balochistan would vote for Zardari in the September six presidential poll.
Rehman said he took the decision after the government met the four demands of his party -- reopening of the 'Jamia Fareedia' madrassa, handing over of the Lal Masjid to 'ulema' or religious scholars, halting of the military operation in Bajaur tribal agency and promise to free radical cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz soon.
Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, a minister in the previous cabinet and the President of his own faction of PPP(S), announced his party's support to Zardari, as did a lawmaker of the pro-Musharraf PML-Q, Amir Muqam.
Zardari also sought to assert that the 'establishment' -- a euphemism for army in Pakistan -- has not opposed or expressed reservations over his candidature.
"The establishment has its own sensitivities which we keep in view while taking decisions," Zardari told The News .
Source : Times Of India
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment