Zardari authorized to decide PM candidate

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday unanimously authorized its Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to decide about party’s candidate for office of Prime Minister.
PPP’s parliamentary party meeting here on Friday attended by newly elected MNAs, presided by Asif Zardari authorized him to make final decision on candidate for Prime Minister office also in consultation with provincial parliamentary parties.
The participants said it was introductory meeting and the party has yet neither finalized any candidate for post of Prime Minister nor decided for leaders of house in provincial assemblies, as party leadership intends to discuss it with provincial parliamentary parties, said Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PPP Punjab President.
Asif Zardari briefed participants on on-going talks with other parties including PML-N and ANP to form coalition governments in the centre and provinces.
He said PPP is struggling for strengthening democratic institutions and independence of judiciary. “We shall chalk out comprehensive strategy to resolve economic problems, invite business community to cooperate with us for economic uplift,” he added.
Another senior PPP leader, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said “I am not candidate for post of Prime Minister. We have full consensus on all issues.”
Meanwhile, PPP parliamentary parties of Punjab & NWFP assemblies would meet here on Saturday, while meetings of Sindh & Balochistan assembly members will be held on Sunday at Bilawal House Karachi.