I News India - Empowering Ideas!

Yousuf Raza Gillani was on Tuesday sworn in as Pakistan’s 25th prime minister by President Pervez Musharraf in the central hall of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or presidency in Islamabad.

Gilani who was elected by two-thirds majority in the national assembly is the first premier from the Pakistan People’s Party who is not a member of the Bhutto family.

As soon as the oath was completed PPP leaders shouted Jiyo Bhutto (Long live Bhutto).

The ceremony was boycotted by top leaders of the ruling coalition while the two key leaders of the parties, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif that have formed Pakistan’s new coalition government were absent in the ceremony.

Zardari’s teenaged son Bilawal, the new PPP chairman after Bhutto’s assassination, was also among the absentees.

Members of Gillani’s cabinet are likely to be inducted in phases as the PPP and its allies are still to finalize the division of ministers.

The first batch of ministers is likely to be administered the oath by Musharraf later this week after Gillani obtains a vote of confidence from the National Assembly.

Tags: Benazir, Bhutto, Bilawal, Gillani, Pakistan, PPP, Zardari

Pakistan People’s Party leader Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif from Muslin League (AN) agreed to form coalition government. These two apposition parties announced this decision on Thursday night.

The announcement of the two parties formally joining hands was made after a hectic two-hour negotiation in Islamabaad between Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif after they overcame differences on some key issues. Both the leaders had made clear that this will not be Musharaff’s party. President Pervez Musharraf stood isolated on Thursday.

This is the first meeting between Zardari and Sharif after the ruling Musharraf-backed PML (Q) was routed in this week’s momentous elections. Zardari and Sharif, once bitter rivals, discussed a “national consensus government” that will also include smaller parties like the Awami National Party and the Sindh-based Mohajir Quami Movement.

Soon after the meeting, Zardari told reporters that there will be no relationof this new government with Musharaff’s Muslim League (Q). There first task would be to ask the UN for an impartial probe into the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto at an election rally on December 27.

“We have agreed on a common agenda. We will work together to form a government together in the Centre and in the provinces,” Sharif said at a joint news conference with Zardari, husband of the slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.

Zardari stressed on their plans to take the nation towards development and stability. This needs to make the parliament stronger. He said that Pakistan can be taken out of all problems and political controversies.

Tags: Government, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan, Zardari