Islamabad, Mar 22: The spat within the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on the nomination of opposition leader in the Senate came to the fore on Sunday when both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) publicly claimed their right to this key office, reports said here on Monday.
The two parties have intensified lobbying for the office with both parties claiming that they have the support of the constituents of the PDM and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari speaking to the heads of some smaller parties in this regard, Dawn reported.
The PPP did however admitted that earlier it did agree to give the office of the opposition leader to PML-N in return for nomination of Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani for the office of Senate chairman, but now says that after his defeat, the situation has changed drastically.
On the other hand PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz took up the matter with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at a meeting with him in Jati Umra, Lahore, on Sunday, and said the its decision to stake a claim to that office will not be reversed at any cost because she said that the decision tin this regard had been taken by a PDM committee and it had nothing to do with the outcome of the elections of Senate chairman and deputy chairman.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari held discussion with National Party chief Dr Abdul Malik and is scheduled to meet Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq in Mansoora on Monday to seek his support for his party’s candidate.
PML-N has already nominated Azam Nazeer Tarar for the post which has been rejected by the PPP which also lodged protest over it with the PML-N leadership because Mr Tarar is a lawyer for the accused police officials in Benazir Bhutto murder case.
(UNI)
