Zardari-Fahim meeting fails to end deadlock over PM issue

By OUR PAKISTAN CORRESPONDENT

Islamabad, March 14: Pakistan People’s Party leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Makhdoom Amin Fahim may have buried their differences but they have not agreed on the future Prime Minister, political sources said.

"Mr Makhdoom Amin Fahim is firm on becoming PM. This is something that has to be settled ... and this is the main thing," a senior PPP leader privy to the Zardari-Fahim meeting on Thursday night told this newspaper.

Mr Zardari and Mr Fahim also had a meeting on Wednesday to hammer out the differences on the issue.

"The PPP will announce its nominee for Prime Minister soon after the start of opening session of newly-elected National Assembly (on March 17)," the PPP leader said.

After the meeting, Mr Fahim told reporters that their meeting went very well and the atmosphere was pleasant. He, however, said he was not interested in becoming Speaker of the National Assembly or President of the country. "I am still a strong contender for prime ministership but I can withdraw in favour of Asif Ali Zardari if he wants to become the Prime Minister himself," said Mr Fahim.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on Thursday remained inconclusive over the distribution of ministries between the coalition partners at the centre.

The top leadership of both the parties decided to finalise the distribution formula during a joint meeting of the parliamentary parties of the PPP, PML-N, Awami National Party, and the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal on Monday just before the first session of the National Assembly.

An important meeting between the special committees of the PML(N) and the PPP was held at the Opposition leader chamber in the senate to frame future Cabinet in the Parliament House.