 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
|
 |
 |
|
| Gilani wins the race for PM |
|
|
|
|
|
Sunday, March 23, 2008
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: The PPP finally nominated Makhdoom Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani for the prime ministerial slot, election for which will be held in the National Assembly on Monday.
This was done after prolonged consultations with the coalition partners. The announcement took 34 days after the elections on February 18.
The final consultative meeting of the PPP was held at Zardari House and chaired by party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. It was attended by Senior Vice Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, PPP Information Secretary Sherry Rehman, Farzana Raja, Ahmed Mukhtar, Syed Khursheed Shah and other senior leaders. Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were not present in the meeting.
The consultative process was also undertaken with the coalition partners including PML-N before the name of Yousuf Raza Gilani was finalised.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who had specially come to Pakistan to announce the name of the candidate for prime minister, did not turn up to make the announcement which was made on behalf of Asif Ali Zardari by party spokesman Farhatullah Babar before the media outside the Zardari House. The statement read: "I have great pleasure in calling upon Makhdoom Yousuf Raza Gilani in the name of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to accept the heavy responsibility and lead the coalition government and the nation to greater heights and a glorious future and Makhdoom Yousuf Raza Gilani is not afraid to lead and he knows the way," said PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
However Farhatullah Babar discouraged questions whether the selection was for interim period saying that there was not a single word in the statement to that effect.
The announcement was received by slogans of 'Jiye Bhutto' by party enthusiasts.
It is interesting to recall that Yousuf Raza Gilani was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the NAB courts. Gilani will be administered oath of office as the prime minister by the president.
Zardari's statement also said, "My thoughts and prayers are with Makhdoom Yousuf Raza Gilani, the coalition government and the people of Pakistan. I wish them all success in the challenges that lie ahead."
The statement added, "On this occasion my thoughts go to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who led from the front the fight for democracy and laid down her life. I also recall the sacrifices of those countless martyrs who valiantly fought along with her throughout the years and died for the cause. Their sacrifices have illumined the path that will be traversed by the generations to come."
Asked about Makhdoom Amin Fahim future, he avoided making any comment saying that he did not want any comment on this issue.
Gilani has many qualities that led PPP Co-Chairman to nominate him for the slot of prime minister. He is a very humble and highly educated person.
He has command of several languages and is also a good listener. He has a vision to bring the country out of its crises and put it on the road to progress and prosperity.
Makhdoom Yousuf Raza Gilani started his political career in 1978 after the death of his father Makhdoom Alamdar Hussain Gilani who was also a signatory to the Pakistan Resolution.
His grandfather Makhdoom Ghulam Mustafa Shah Gilani and paternal uncle Makhdoom Raza Shah Gilani both became MLAs after defeating the unionists in the 1946 elections. Makhdoom Raza Shah Gilani also held the dual office of Chairman District Board Multan.
Yousuf Raza Gillani's great grandfather Makhdoom Raja Bakhsh Gilani was both Mayor of Multan in 1921 and member of the Central Legislative Assembly of India. He remained member of the Assembly from 1921 till he died in 1936 and was known as the father of the Indian Assembly.
Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected Chairman of the District Council Multan comprising the present three districts of Khanewal, Lodhran and Multan by defeating the sitting Local Government Minister Syed Fakhr Imam.
In 1985 Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected as MNA, as an independent candidate, from Lodhran district Multan and became the Minister for Housing and Works and Railways in the Junejo Cabinet.
In 1988 he was awarded the PPP ticket and defeated the sitting Chief Minister of Punjab Mian Nawaz Sharif. In 1990 again on the PPP ticket he was elected as MNA by defeating Makhdoom Hamid Raza Gilani, an ex federal minister
In 1993 he was awarded PPP ticket and defeated Malik Sikander Hayt Bosan. He contested election in 1997 on a PPP ticket but the Party did not win a single seat in the Punjab at that time.
He was sentenced in 2001 and spent several years in jail and could not contest the 2002 elections. He could have secured his release from jail by ditching the party but refused to do so.
Yousuf Raza Gilani was made Senior Vice Chairman of the Party in 1998. In 2008 he was elected MNA after defeating the federal food minister. He has a wife, four sons and one daughter.
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
KP floods toll reaches 408
By Nisar Mahmood
PESHAWAR: Casualties due to rain and flood-related incidents were on the rise as more deaths were reported from various areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Friday.
Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain p more |
|
|
‘US has no plans to send troops to Pakistan’
WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has brushed aside an Afghan demand to strike at militant safe havens across the border, saying it has no plans to send combat troops to Pakistan.
“We have no plans to s more |
|
|
PM’s directive to HEC is illegal
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the NA Committee on Education has formally sought from the prime minister withdrawal of his recent directive barring the Higher Education Commission (HEC) from directly reporting to t more |
|
|
Flash floods kill 102 in a narrow Shangla strip
By Ikram Hoti
BISHAM, Swat: Out of over 500 people killed by torrential rains and flash floods across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 102 were killed only in a 10-kilometre narrow mountainous strip in Shangla in the 78 hours of Wednesda more |
|
|
95 victims of plane crash identified, Malik tells Senate
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday claimed that 95 out of the 152 dead bodies of the plane crash victims had been identified and 78 handed over to relatives.
Responding to points of orde more |
|
|
|
Zardari to visit UK despite Cameron snub
By Tariq Butt
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari is going ahead with his four-day official visit to Britain, starting from Aug 3, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said in categorical terms on Friday.
This b more |
|
|
|
14 die in G-B rains
By our correspondent
GILGIT: Fourteen people, three of them girls, died on Friday in various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan as torrential rains continued to wreak havoc in Gilgit-Baltistan, senior government officials said.
Four more |
|
|
|
Mullen asks ISI to shift its focus ‘strategically’
WASHINGTON: Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has asked the Pakistani spy agency to “strategically shift its focus” as any ties with the terrorist outfits that had come to light in more |
|
|
|
Security concerns main reason
By Murtaza Ali Shah
LONDON: President Asif Ali Zardari’s official visit to the UK from August 3 to 7 will cost the taxpayers of Pakistan tons of British pounds as sources have revealed the details of what arrangements are being ma more |
|
|
|
Fake degrees: SC rejects appeals of three MPs
By Sohail Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday dismissed the appeals of one National Assembly and two provincial assembly members and upheld the decisions against their fake degrees.
A three-member bench of more |
|
|
|
ECP to check assets of all MPs from next polls
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: In what would serve as a great step towards political reformation in the country, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is finalising a proposal to verify all the declarations of the members of t more |
|
|
|
Indo-Pak experts want to use water as tool for cooperation
NEW DELHI: Use water as a tool to build trust and cooperation, urged delegates at an Indo-Pak seminar ‘Water is life’ organized by Aman ki Asha and the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation here to discuss the more |
|
|
|
Cameron’s remarks: ISI team cancels visit to UK
ISLAMABAD: Following the shocking remarks made by the British Prime Minister David Cameron against Pakistan, an ISI’s anti-terrorism experts delegation has cancelled its visit to Britain.
Defence sources more |
|
|
|
CCP issues notice for tying ticket with food coupons
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has issued a show cause notice to a company for tying the sale of cinema ticket with food coupons.
According to the CCP, the show cause notice was more |
|
|
|
US needs to change war strategy: Haroon
NEW YORK: Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, said that there might have been a relationship between the ISI and the Taliban, but in a war such contacts were considered necessary.
“ more |
|
|
|
briefs...
Average inflation for FY11 projected at 11-12 pc
By Shahnawaz Akhter
KARACHI: In an unexpected move, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday tightened the monetary policy stance by enhancing th more |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
ShareThis