The head of the pakistan people’s party (PPP), president asif ali zardari, has proposed former minister raja pervez ashraf for the post of head of government, a party spokesman said in islamabad on friday. On thursday, a warrant of arrest was issued against the original leading candidate, makhdoom shahabuddin.
The vote will take place in the late afternoon (local time) in the pakistani house of commons. With the PPP and its coalition partners holding a clear majority of the 342 parliamentary seats, ashraf’s election as prime minister is considered certain.
The new election became necessary because the highest pakistani court on tuesday had removed yousaf raza gilani, the head of government in office until then, from office. Initially, the PPP had chosen shahabuddin as its successor. But on thursday a court had issued a warrant of arrest on suspicion of corruption. In 2010 he is alleged to have illegally participated in the export of medicines. Ashraf had already been considered as a possible replacement candidate shortly after the allegations became known.