Zardari keeps options open on govt formation

ISLAMABAD: With uncertainty over the next government in Pakistan, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday kept his party's options close to his chest but virtually ruled out any truck with President Pervez Musharraf who he said 'will not last long'.

Zardari said it should be left to Parliament to decide on the President's continuance in office, an issue on which PML headed by Nawaz Sharif has strongly demanded his impeachment.

Declaring that he is not the prime ministerial candidate, Zardari even said at a press conference after a meeting of his party's central executive committee that PPP, which emerged as the single largest party with 87 seats, would chose a nominee from its senior leadership for heading a coalition.

However in remarks to a television channel, he said his party could support someone from another party for the prime ministership that led to speculation whether PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif would be the beneficiary.

But Zardari, who was appointed co-chairman of PPP after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, was clearly not enthusiastic about having any truck with Musharraf.

Rejecting reports that he had given assurances of support to Musharraf during his meeting with US Ambassador Anne Patterson and Amercian senators, Zardari said his party cannot be 'dictated to' by others.

Zardari also wrote in Chicago Tribune that the international community, especially the US, should help his party in the endeavour of bringing peace to Pakistan 'instead of continuing with the erroneous belief that alliance with a strongman is its best bet to bring stability to Pakistan.'

To a question on impeachment of Musharraf, Zardari said he was willing to look at Parliament to make it strong. "This is an opportunity in history of democracy of Pakistan. Why waste it on any individual positions."

He said institutions should be strong enough to look after themselves. "I don't see Musharraf's role lasting much longer."

"Rest assured, I will not be candidate for prime minister. We will choose (a candidate) from our senior leadership," Zardari said.

"We are the largest political party in the (National Assembly) and the government has to call upon us to make the government. Once they call up on us, we will reveal the (prime ministerial candidate)."

Asked what sort of relationship the PPP intended to have with Musharraf, Zardari said, "I have said during our campaign that we will strengthen parliament and the parliamentary form of government. The parliament will decide which president it can work with and which president it can't work with."

Another reporter then pointedly asked if a government with Musharraf was better than one without the President. Zardari again evaded a direct reply and said, "The whole situation is, I think, the world today has heard the message of the people of Pakistan. I think all democratic forces of the world stand with the people of Pakistan in democracy."

Zardari said he had already established contacts with leaders of the All Parties Democratic Movement, which had boycotted the polls, and would meet PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif tomorrow to discuss politics and issues of mutual concern.

"We are going to find solutions to the problems of Pakistan," he said, when asked about the agenda of his meeting with Sharif, whose party has emerged as the second largest group in the National Assembly.

On reports he had given assurance to US Senators and the Ambassador of working with Musharraf, Zardari said, "I think those are ill-founded. In diplomatic calls you don't go there and say you support so and so. We have a political party, we have a political position and nobody dictates to us what to do."