(1888PressRelease)
August 23, 2008 - In a meeting of PPP parliamentary leaders at Zardari House, the PPP gave the right to choose next president to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Talking to media after the meeting, Farzana Raja said the members of parliament named Zardari; however, any final decision in this regard would be made by Zardari himself.
Sources said Zardari told the PPP parliamentarians that the party's Central Executive Committee would decide the next president in its next meeting on Friday. All the coalition partners would be taken into confidence regarding the nomination of the next president, he added. Sources further said the issue of the next president will be resolved prior to the restoration of deposed judiciary.
Staff Reporter adds: Muttahida Qaumi Movement Chief Altaf Hussain on Wednesday proposed the name of Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for presidential candidature. According to a private TV channel, Altaf said that from the MQM he proposed the name of Zardari for presidential nomination as he (Zardari) represented a small province and his selection would serve the need to find a president from small province.
Separately in a statement, Zardari thanked Altaf Hussain for his positive role during the political developments of the last few days, which led to resignation of Pervez Musharraf.
"Altaf Hussain and his party has played a crucial role in the mediation efforts towards obtaining the resignation and ensuring a peaceful exit for the former president," Zardari said in a statement here on Wednesday.
"These efforts for strengthening democracy in Pakistan are commendable and must be appreciated," he added. He said that he was thankful to all democratic forces of the country, including the MQM that had helped the coalition government achieve a key objective of forcing Musharraf to resign.
It was indeed a momentous day for the democracy and the people of Pakistan as the political forces had been able to roll back the frontiers of dictatorship. "This return to democracy has seen some very violent moments, including the most unfortunate assassination of Mohtarma Shaheed Benazir Bhutto," Zardari said, adding BB Shaheed had said that democracy is the best revenge and that it had once again been proven that democracy could bring change through peaceful means.
Also on Wednesday, ,MQM senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar said that Asif Ali Zardari was the best person for the coveted post of president of Pakistan owing to his inherent abilities to handle the crisis in an amicable and judicious way.
Sattar said promoted and patronised the atmosphere of national reconciliation and harmony in the country after winning the elections earlier this year.
Paying rich tributes to Zardari, the MQM leader said he (Zardari) had the ability to satisfy all federating units, especially Balochistan due to his Baloch background and conciliatory approach.
As a president Zardari will be succeeded in maintaining peace in FATA as he had the ability to check the menace of extremism and terrorism from the country, he held.
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