Fazl meets Zardari, attempts to bridge differences of alliance: sources

ISLAMABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman met with Pakistan Peoples Party leader Asif Ali Zardari to bridge differences of the like-minded opposition parties ahead of the prime minister election, informed sources.

The meeting was held at Zardari House in Islamabad on Thursday.

Both the leaders discussed the PPP's decision of remaining politically indifferent in the prime minister election. According to sources, PPP members will attend the NA session on Friday, however, they will refrain from partaking in the election process.

The PPP will not vote for either PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif or PTI’s Imran for the position of prime minister.

The National Assembly will elect the country’s 22nd prime minister on Friday. Earlier today, nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif were accepted.

Speaking to reporters prior to the PPP meeting, Khrusheed Shah said his party had reservations over Shehbaz being the candidate for prime minister. Shah stressed that if the PML-N does not change its PM candidate then the PPP will make a decision accordingly.

“We have told PML-N of our reservations, we are working on [resolving it]. [But] if they don’t change their candidate then we will [make our own] decision,” he said.

PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique claimed that the PPP backtracked upon former president Asif Ali Zardari’s orders.

He said that earlier the PPP had agreed upon the PML-N candidate’s name. "We don't blame Zardari sb for anything and are aware of his troubles," said the former federal minister.

Numbers game

With the loss of the PPP (54 seats), Shehbaz Sharif will now face an almost impossible task to be elected as prime minister. The PML-N has 81 seats in the National Assembly and it is yet unclear if the party will still be supported by the MMA (15 seats) and ANP (1 seat). Jamaat-e-Islami which is part of the MMA has announced that it will not vote in the election.

On the other hand, Imran Khan’s PTI has 151 seats and with the support of its allies, the total stands at 175 which is more than the required simple majority.