PPP faces rift over Fahim’s candidacy row
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Senior Vice President Pakistan People’s Party Makhdoom Amin Fahim Sunday said he has already abandoned the race for prime minister’s slot. He said entire party assisted him in achieving the goal (to save himself from PM’s slot).
Talking to newsmen, he said he had already saved himself from this ‘Aafat’- hardship for several times. Now whole party joins him to save from this ‘aafat’ - hardship. He said he will remain loyal to party and never even think about leaving the party as he was more than convinced that party should remain united. There would be only one prime minister while aspirants for coveted post are three or four. This is normal that failing candidates would express their views, he added.
“It is up to captain, as he sometimes invite test players and some time invites under-19 players. It is not new .. it is common..,” he added. Regarding Murree Declaration between PPP and PML-N, he said it is a positive sign that both parties have agreed to sit together and steer the country out of crisis. He said he was not invited to attend the Murree meeting and he had no personal engagement.
“PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari should pinpoint when he was invited, to enable me, to ascertain who is responsible for not delivering me the invitation card,” he said. “I have asked (Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari) who had informed him that I am not available,” he added.
PPP central leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim has said he has not been invited to Murree talks adding he will however respect all the decisions of party and will not quit it . Makhdoom Amin Fahim said this in an interview with a private TV channel with reference to his non participation in Murree talks.
“I was present in Islamabad. I was not pre-occupied. Party leadership had not invited me to talks. I am and will remain part of PPP. It is responsibility of leadership to sustain the party. I have respected party decisions and will continue to honor them. I will not quit party. I will look forward to party decisions”, he underlined.
Responding to a question he said the decisions taken so far by Asif Ali Zardari are responsible and “ I hope he will take responsible decisions in future. Visible differances between PPPP co-chairman , Asif Ali Zardari and Makhdoom Amin Fahim have started giving ideas to power brokers about supporting Makhdoom Amin Fahim rather than Asif Ali Zardari.
Informed sources have told Online that the top leadership of the ruling coalition was directed by the powers-that-be to support Amin Fahim, in case he splits from the People’s Party.Fahim accession to the highest political office was quite understandable until the PPP Co-Chairman, Asif Zardari, announced that the nominee for the slot of prime minister could be from Punjab.
Sources said the establishment wanted Amin Fahim to become the prime minister of Pakistan given his past and present interactions with the close aides of President Musharraf, while in private Mr Fahim is said to have claimed that he enjoyed the support of some 90 percent of the total MNAs-elect of the People’s Party.
Although the establishment considers it a highly hypothetical question, but believes the People’s Party may disintegrate in case Amin Fahim is not given the chance to form its government, and for that likely scenario the leaders of the former ruling coalition have already been ordered to get ready to embrace Fahim.