Party to decide candidature of future PM, says Fahim

TANDOADAM—Pakistan Peoples Part’s vice chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim has said that the party’s candidate for the PM would be decided by the central executive committee (CEC) of party and the
While talking to local journalists after condoling over the sad demise of Ali Hyder Junago son of Nazim Shah nazim UC Mir Hassan Marri and nephew of Roshin Din Junago in suburb village of Tando Adam, he termed the statements of Senator Dr. Babar Awan in this regard as his personal opinion.
He said that the will of former PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto was highlighted and it was the same will, which was witnessed in the meeting of CEC adding that in her will, Benazir Bhutto expressed her desire to nominate Asif Ali Zardari as Chairman of the party which the CEC approved unanimously and Asif Ali Zardari nominated Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as party chairman, which was also accepted by CEC.
He said that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the hero of the nation and would be remembered forever and strictly ruled out any group of lobby by the name of Patriots in PPP.
Replying to a question as to why PPP, which was willing for a dialogue with MQM PML-N and President Musharraf, could/ did not have dialogue with the family of late Mir Murtaza Bhutto including Fatima Bhutto and Zulifqar Ali Bhutto Junior, he said that it was the personal affair of Bhutto family and not a political issue. He said that PPP would give jobs to unemployed youths and dispose off all the false case registered against the political activists on political rivalry after coming into power, and demanded the probe of assassination of former PM Benazir Bhutto from UNO investigation team to unveil the hidden hands involved in this incident. Benazir Bhutto’s controversial widower, Asif Ali Zardari, Leaving open the possibility that might seek the nation’s prime ministership said that if his party is voted to power he would become the Prime Minister.
Shortly after his wife’s assassination on Dec. 27, Zardari named his and Bhutto’s 19-year-old son, Bilawal, party chairman and indicated that the party’s prime-ministerial candidate would be PPP vice chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim. \
But in a phone interview with NEWSWEEK on Monday, Zardari suggested he might be interested in the job himself if the scheduled Feb. 18 national vote brings the PPP to power, saying that he has the widest name recognition in the party. “There is no one single personality [in the party], apart from me, who anybody even knows,” he said. “No one else has a consensus.”
Faced with a whispering campaign at home that he might not be Bhutto’s legitimate heir, Zardari directed that a copy of her handwritten political will be made publicly available to prove that Bhutto named him as her successor. In the will, a copy of which was obtained by NEWSWEEK, Bhutto addresses “the officials and members” of the PPP and writes, “I would like my husband Asif Ali Zardari to lead you in this interim period until you and he decide what is best.” Bhutto also praises the officials and members of her party, saying no leader could have been prouder of their “dedication, devotion and discipline” in the struggle for “a Federal, Democratic and Egalitarian Pakistan.” Later she adds, “I fear for the future of Pakistan. Please continue the fight against extremism, dictatorship, poverty and ignorance.
“ Two longtime associates and loyalists of Bhutto’s say there is no doubt it is her handwriting. “I know her style,” says Mark Siegel, her longtime friend and Washington-based representative. “She wrote this document.” The will, dated Oct. 16, 2007, was written the same day Bhutto sent a letter to President Pervez Musharraf that identified three people she said were planning to assassinate her upon her return to Pakistan after seven years of exile. Pakistan is scheduled to hold national elections this month after a delay of six weeks prompted by rioting in the days following Bhutto’s assassination.
Zardari said that he has gained the confidence of the party by going to jail and no corruption charges against him had been proven. He said that he is not taking part in the current election however the party would nominate him to take part in the elections as in order to become the PM one has to be member of the parliament.—Online