Islamabad :
Former President and Co-Chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari has indicated that he will not take any ministry or post in the new government. Zardari said, “I think the PPP will not take any ministry.”
“There is no such thing. We want our friends to be given a chance,” he said in response to a question about not taking office due to the burden of inflation being borne by newly elected Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
It may be recalled that in recent days, it was also reported that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is divided on the issue of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari joining the cabinet as Foreign Minister in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Background interviews with several party leaders have confirmed reports in some media circles that the PPP chairman could become foreign minister, but consultations are ongoing on the issue.
However, members of the other camp were of the view that the PPP chairman should not be part of the federal cabinet headed by Shahbaz Sharif as it would hurt the position of the leader of the second largest party in the coalition government.
The camp believes that PPP workers may dislike their chairman for working under the PML-N’s prime minister, who is the PPP’s biggest rival in politics.
A senior party leader close to Bilawal Bhutto said, “I have advised my chairman to become the country’s foreign minister.”
He said that 64% of the population of the country consists of youth under 30 years of age and they are the representatives of the youth. Bilawal has a good reputation in the world because of his mother Benazir Bhutto Will help in communication
The party leader said that this would increase his popularity among those who did not see former prime ministers Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto and this would benefit the PPP in future.
He also said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s experience as Foreign Minister would strengthen his case as the Prime Ministerial candidate, however, no formal discussion was taking place on this issue and a decision would be taken in one to two days.
Similarly, a senior leader of the second camp of the PPP said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari should not take any portfolio of the cabinet as he would not be able to focus on the affairs of the party which could harm the PPP in the next general elections.
Interestingly, the outgoing Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in his address to the National Assembly also advised not to become the Foreign Minister under the young Chairman of PPP Koshabaz Sharif.
A senior PPP leader said he was interested in constitutional posts rather than portfolios in the federal cabinet as those posts had become vacant following the resignations of the speaker and deputy speaker.
On the other hand, the Pakistan People’s Party has announced to call for applications for party tickets for the general elections.
PPP Secretary General Farhatullah Babar has called for applications for the National Assembly and all Provincial Assemblies from across the country.
Party ticket applications will be viewed by the PPP president.
The petitions have been directed to be delivered to the party secretariat in Islamabad or Bilawal House Karachi by April 30.
