• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Pakistani President summons parliament on Friday to elect new PM

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Jun 20, IRNA -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned the National Assembly to meet in Islamabad on June 22 to elect new Prime Minister, to replace Yusuf Raza Gilani, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, on Tuesday disqualified Gilani as a member of parliament due to his conviction of contempt of court on failing to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The top court also overruled the National Assembly Speaker's decision not to disqualify Gilani following his conviction on April 26.

Political activities have been intensified in Islamabad ahead of the election of the new Prime Minister.

President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also co-chairman of the majority Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is presiding over a meeting his party parliamentarian to make decision on the appointment of the new Prime Minister.

The National Assembly, Lower House of the parliament, is the Electoral College to choose new Prime Minister.

“President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned the National Assembly to meet in the Parliament House Islamabad on Friday, June 22, at 05:30 pm,” an official announcement said.

**2329

The parliament session has been convened to elect a new leader of the house after the disqualification of Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The PPP and its allies has clear majority in the 342-member house and it will have no problem to get elected its candidate.

The main opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has also decided to contact other political parties including former coalition partners of Gilani government.

The PML-N plans to field Mehtab Khan Abbasi as its candidate for the office of the Prime Minister, the party sources said.

Several leaders of the opposition group is trying to win support of other parties to give tough time to the candidate of the majority PPP.

The PPP will take a final decision on its candidate later Wednesday but the party sources said that at least two names –Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Minister for Textiles and Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, Minister for Water and Power – are under consideration.

The PPP leaders and its allies have empowered President Zardari to nominate anyone for the highest post.
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 80192542