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Musharraf summons assembly, Jamali to face confidence vote
Islamabad, Dec 24: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today summoned the national assembly on December 30 during which Prime Minister Mir Zafarulah Khan Jamali would take vote of confidence.
Islamabad, Dec 24: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today summoned the national assembly on December 30 during which Prime Minister Mir Zafarulah Khan Jamali would take vote of confidence.
Jamali, a senior leader of the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Q, who was elected with one vote majority a month ago, mainly due to the defections from Opposition parties, is expected to improve his majority by another vote. After his election as prime minister last month, one more elected member from the former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto lead Pakistan Peoples Party joined the ranks of ten defectors. While PPP and the Islamist Alliance, Muthahida Majlis Amal, which have a combined strength of 132 members in the 342 member house have announced their decision to vote against Jamali, the 17-member Muthahida Quami Movement has extended its support to him.
Earlier, the MQM had temporarily withdrawn its support to Jamali citing Musharraf's failure to meet some of its key demands.
The decision was reversed after the government met its demands of making its senior leader Istratul Ibad, governor of Sindh and allotting a number of ministries in the provincial government.
Ibad was in self exile in London along with the party leader Altaf Hussain but returned to Pakistan and held talks with Musharraf and Jamali.
Meanwhile, the MMA government in North West Frontier province proved its majority in the provincial assembly today. Chief minister Akram Durrani won the vote of confidence with the Opposition not to press for a division in the assembly.
Bureau Report
Jamali, a senior leader of the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Q, who was elected with one vote majority a month ago, mainly due to the defections from Opposition parties, is expected to improve his majority by another vote. After his election as prime minister last month, one more elected member from the former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto lead Pakistan Peoples Party joined the ranks of ten defectors. While PPP and the Islamist Alliance, Muthahida Majlis Amal, which have a combined strength of 132 members in the 342 member house have announced their decision to vote against Jamali, the 17-member Muthahida Quami Movement has extended its support to him.
Earlier, the MQM had temporarily withdrawn its support to Jamali citing Musharraf's failure to meet some of its key demands.
The decision was reversed after the government met its demands of making its senior leader Istratul Ibad, governor of Sindh and allotting a number of ministries in the provincial government.
Ibad was in self exile in London along with the party leader Altaf Hussain but returned to Pakistan and held talks with Musharraf and Jamali.
Meanwhile, the MMA government in North West Frontier province proved its majority in the provincial assembly today. Chief minister Akram Durrani won the vote of confidence with the Opposition not to press for a division in the assembly.
Bureau Report