PM’s election: PPP does U-turn on support to Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: The joint opposition seems to be withering as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided not to support PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif in the election for the prime minister today (Friday).

According to sources, the PPP will attend the National Assembly session but avoid taking part in the election process. The decision (to abstain from voting) was taken in a consultative meeting chaired by the PPP Parliamentarians (PPPP) President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Zardari House here.

Former prime ministers Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf, former opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah and other senior leaders attended the meeting.

Sources said Zardari will not skip the NA session today. However, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will take part in the election process along with his party MNAs. This will be the first time that the PPP will be staying aloof from the process for election of the prime minister.

Political observers predict a bleak future for the joint opposition in the days ahead in the wake of PPP’s decision. According to them, the party has taken a solo flight on the opposition benches in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters earlier in the day, Khursheed Shah said the PPP had reservations about Shahbaz Sharif’s candidature for prime minister and conveyed them to the PML-N leadership.

“If the PML-N doesn’t change its PM candidate, then the PPP will make a decision accordingly. “We have conveyed our reservations to the PML-N. We are working on it, but if the PML-N does not change their candidate, then we will make our own decision,” he added.