Raja Parvez Ashraf to be the next Pakistan PM

Islamabad: Raja Parvez Ashraf is all set to be the next Prime Minister of Pakistan following his nomination by the Pakistan Peoples Party on Friday. The new premier will be elected by Pakistan's National Assembly on Friday evening.

Ashraf was the Water and Power Minister in the Cabinet of former Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who has been disqualified by the Supreme Court, necessitating the election of a new Premier. He is a senior PP leader and considered to be a Bhutto family loyalist.

The other two names that were doing the rounds were that of Makhdoom Shahabuddin and Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira. On Thursday, the name of Shahabuddin who was the party's first choice had to be withdrawn after a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against him in connection with alleged irregularities in the import of a controlled drug during his tenure as Health Minister by an anti-narcotics court.

The Pakistan Peoples Party on Friday nominated Raja Parvez Ashraf for the post of the Prime Minister.

Pakistan has been without a prime minister since Tuesday after the Supreme Court disqualified Gilani in a contempt case.

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