ISLAMABAD: In an unexpected turn of the events unfolding towards the election of new Prime Minister, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira has submitted his nomination papers for election of new Prime Minister

Earlier Thursday Makhdoom Shahabuddin and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf filed their candidature to the National Assembly Speaker.

However, sources said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) decided to field third candidate for the top slot of premiership after a local court of Rawalpindi issued non-bailable warrant of Makhdoom Shahabuddin in ephedrine case.

It should be mentioned here that Shahabuddin has been alleged to have approved the unauthorized drug quotas that led to the ephedrine scandal involving former premier’s son Ali Musa Gilani.

PPP covering candidate Raja Pervez Ashraf also faced corruption allegation in rental power plants case, therefore PPP government put Kaira forward as third option.

Meanwhile Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has nominated its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for the top post of premiership.

After finalizing the name of Sardar Mehtab Abbasi as the candidate for the slot, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is still in the process of deliberations.

The Muslim League-Nawaz has also contacted lawmakers from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), seeking their support as the party had also been mulling over to field Mehtab Abbasi as contender for the PM’s slot.

The new Prime Minister will be elected in a National Assembly session being held at 5:30pm on June 22

<<Go back