PPP expected to nominate Zardari for Presidential post

Amid growing differences between the two main parties in Pakistan's ruling coalition, the PPP is expected to nominate its co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for the post of President following a meeting of the party's top leadership tomorrow.     

Pakistan People's Party parliamentarians backed Zardari for the post of President during a dinner hosted by him last night, describing him as the "most suitable candidate".     

The move came after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the second largest opposition group in parliament, too said Zardari should be made the President.     

In a recent interview, Zardari had ruled himself out of the presidential race but said the PPP had the right to seek the post as it is the largest party in the ruling coalition. He told the dinner meeting of PPP parliamentarians last night that a final decision will be made after consulting the coalition's leadership.     

The PPP's move to project Zardari as the party's presidential candidate comes in the wake of a threat by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to pull his party out of the coalition and sit in the opposition if the judges deposed by former President Pervez Musharraf are not reinstated by tomorrow.     

Sharif told the Wall Street Journal that it would "be a bad day for democracy" if the judges are not restored. The PML-N would "be forced to sit in the opposition" if the judges are not brought back to their positions though it would "not try to bring the government down".     

The PML-N has also said it wants the next President to be from a smaller province like Balochistan or North West Frontier Province.