Pak provincial assembly backs Zardari for Presidency

Islamabad, Aug 22 : The Sindh Assembly today passed a resolution recommending PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari's name for the presidency.

Sindh is the home province of Zardari, the widower of assassinated former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who now leads the country's largest party in the four-party coalition.

Election for the next president is scheduled to be held on September 6. The post fell vacant after Pervez Musharraf resigned on Monday "for the interests of Pakistan".

Meanwhile, the second largest party in the ruling coalition, the PML-N led by former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, wants the next president from a smaller province, like Balochistan or North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

MQM leader Altaf Hussain has proposed Zardari's name for the presidential candidate.

ANI