Zardari: PPP not going to become part of federal cabinet

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman said on Saturday that he did not think PPP was going to join the federal cabinet.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Asif Zardari said his first priority would be to get his ‘friends’ adjusted in the cabinet.

Although initially, PPP had conveyed to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other allied parties that it was not interested in joining the federal cabinet, later, however, on the insistence of PML-N there were some signs that the party was considering changing its plan.

Even names of the PPP members shortlisted for the purpose also started doing rounds on media.

But Zardari’s latest statement seem to have laid to rest all such speculative reports.

Bilawal seeks suggestions for party tickets

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has sought suggestions on upcoming local body elections in the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.

Bilawal Bhutto invited party ticket holders, Central Executive Committee (CEC) members to give suggestions about awarding the tickets.

PPP divisional party presidents of provinces—Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan—have been directed to submit suggestions to party secretariat Islamabad.

PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said that party tickets for the local body elections will be given through the provincial party and PPP has also formally contacted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Babar said, “Punjab will hold local body polls in 17 districts on May 29. Similarly, the first phase of local bodies elections will be held in four divisions of Sindh—Larkana, Sukkur, Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas.