Pak to elect new Prime Minister on Friday

Islamabad - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari summoned Parliament to meet on Friday to elect a new Prime Minister, with the outgoing Textile Minister emerging as the likely candidate for the job.

Yousuf Raza Gilani was dismissed on Tuesday along with his Cabinet by the Supreme Court for failing to investigate his ally Mr. Zardari for corruption, adding to political instability in a country already saddled with massive economic and security problems.

But in moving quickly to install a new premier and not defying the court order as some had predicted the government may reduce fears of major upheaval, at least in the short term.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Presidency said the National Assembly would be convened on Friday afternoon.

A government official confirmed that the purpose of the meeting was to elect a new premier.

Mr. Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party has the largest number of seats in Parliament and is currently in government with coalition partners, which must also support his choice for Prime Minister to ensure he gets elected. Mr. Zardari has been meeting those partners to discuss a candidate.

Earlier report by our correspondent Anita Joshua:

Coalition partners of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are understood to have authorised President Asif Ali Zardari to decide on the next Prime Minister after the Supreme Court disqualified incumbent Yusuf Raza Gilani for contempt of court on Tuesday afternoon.

Soon after the late Tuesday night meeting, television channels claimed that Textile Industry Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin had been chosen to replace Mr. Gilani. However, a past-midnight statement from the Presidency on the meeting of Mr. Zardari with coalition partners made no mention of any name being finalized and said consultations would continue.

The meeting had been convened by the President to take stock of the situation and rally support for the PPP in its hour of trial. Whatever plans some sections in the PPP may have had of taking on the judiciary were abandoned rather quickly with a key ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, making it clear that it would not support such a strategy.

Several names have been doing the rounds since Monday night as it became evident that Mr. Gilani’s days as premier were numbered. Other names in circulation are Power Minister Ahmed Bukhari, Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah, and National Heritage and Integration Minister Samina Burki.

Despite the speculation, there was also the possibility of a wild card entry as close watchers of Mr. Zardari’s moves maintain that he has pulled surprises in the past and that aspect cannot be ruled out. In any case, the next premier is also expected to meet the same fate as Mr. Gilani as no PPP Prime Minister will agree to the Supreme Court directive to write to Swiss authorities asking for the reopening of graft cases against Mr. Zardari. It was Mr. Gilani’s refusal to do so that put him in the dock and the issue is not settled with his ouster. In fact, the PPP leadership’s apprehension is that this is probably just the beginning as they expect the Supreme Court to pursue other cases involving some key party leaders with equal determination.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gilani and his cabinet gave up their official protocol immediately after the verdict was pronounced. Reports suggest that Mr. Gilani also moved out of the Prime Minister’s residence into Islamabad Club before midnight.