Fazl not to contest Senate polls

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman will not contest Senate upcoming polls.

The sources close to the Maulana told The News here Saturday that the question of Maulana's candidature wasn’t discussed at any level and he personally didn’t show any interest for contesting Upper House of the Parliament.

The Maulana, who is chief of his JUI, discussed strategy for the Senate elections with the leaders of PDM component parties but he didn’t show desire to contest for the membership. The major opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has assured the Maulana camp that in case he opts to contest for Senate, the PML-N would support him wholeheartedly.

The sources pointed out that Maulana Fazl and other leaders of the PDM are concentrating on slated long march of next month and other activities for protesting about the misrule of the government.

Meanwhile, former prime minister and PPP stalwart Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has been asked by the PPP to get prepared for contesting Senate election and it is likely that he would be fielded from Sindh contrary to earlier speculations that he will be candidate from Islamabad. The sources said that the PML-N would support Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani if he becomes candidate from Islamabad seat. The PML-N would like to see returning of its retiring members current leader of opposition in Senate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, PML-N Parliamentary Group leader in Senate Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Senator Pervez Rashid, Senator Javed Abbasi and Professor Sajid Meer on priority basis.

However, the PML-N will finalise list of its candidate with close consultations of the PDM parties and its likely that the list would be made public in third week of this month. The PML-N candidates list will be approved by party Quaid Nawaz Sharif who is in constant contact with the party leaders across the country, the sources added.