'PPP a divided house over nominee for PM post'

Islamabad, Mar 10: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is a divided house over the issues of party's nominee for the post of prime minister and the Murree Accord's clause talking about restoration of judiciary to its pre-Nov 3 form, reliable sources close to the party have reportedly said.

Giving air to these reports is the fact that PPP Vice-Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim was not invited to crucial meeting between PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif held in Bhurban where the historic Murree Accord was signed. The party sources said that top leadership had planned to remove Makhdoom Amin Fahim from the presidentship of PPP-Parliamentarian, but due to some unknown reasons the decision was taken back. The leadership took strict notice for convening a meeting of Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) on Sunday by Fahim without consulting the party head, the sources added.

The PPP sources further said that Fahim, who is said to be under the pressure of the party chief, later called off the ARD meeting but by the time much damage had been caused to his relations with PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. Earlier, Fahim had said that he had abandoned the race for prime minister's slot, though later in an interview with a private TV channel, he denied having said so. Thereafter, he told The Nation that the whole party was in favour of his candidature for the premiership but quickly added that he would respect all the decisions of the party's high command.

Answering a question regarding split in the party in case his name was dropped from the top slot of prime minister, he said God forbid he would be the last man to see party divided. He said that he would not quit the party in any circumstances and would continue his struggle for the unity and strength of the party and its cause. "I will not quit the party but will try to work in harmony with the party leaders," Fahim said. About him not being called by his party for the meeting, he said: "It is responsibility of the leadership to take the party leaders along with."

ANI