Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Amin Fahim said on Monday that his party would nominate a candidate for the prime minister’s election, scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
Speaking to media personnel outside Parliament House, Fahim said the PPP received two requests from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders urging it to support their candidates for the elections of speaker and prime minister.
“The party accepted the request for the speaker’s election but rejected the other request for supporting Nawaz Sharif to be elected as prime minister,” Fahim said.
Earlier, the PPP withdrew its candidates for the election of speaker and deputy speaker in the National Assembly.
The announcement came a day after President Zardari told journalists in Islamabad he wished Sharif be elected unanimously, similar to the election of former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani.
However, Fahim said the party’s decision to field a candidate against Sharif for the prime ministerial race was final.
Despite PPP’s decision, Sharif is all set to become prime minister for a third time as his party enjoys majority in the newly-elected National Assembly that was sworn in over the weekend.