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Former Pakistan PM to run for MP | Former Pakistan PM to run for MP |
(10 minutes later) | |
Pakistan's former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, will stand for parliament in a by-election, a party spokesman says. | Pakistan's former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, will stand for parliament in a by-election, a party spokesman says. |
Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party is currently in negotiations over joining a coalition government. | Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party is currently in negotiations over joining a coalition government. |
His party won the second highest number of seats in polls that last week delivered a huge blow to President Pervez Musharraf's allies. | His party won the second highest number of seats in polls that last week delivered a huge blow to President Pervez Musharraf's allies. |
Mr Sharif currently does not have a parliamentary seat and is ineligible to stand for PM. | Mr Sharif currently does not have a parliamentary seat and is ineligible to stand for PM. |
He is also barred from being prime minister again because he has already held the office twice. | He is also barred from being prime minister again because he has already held the office twice. |
His party has already said it will ask its coalition partner to provide a PM. | His party has already said it will ask its coalition partner to provide a PM. |
The PML-N last week agreed to join a coalition headed by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which won the most seats in the parliamentary polls. | The PML-N last week agreed to join a coalition headed by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which won the most seats in the parliamentary polls. |
The PPP is widely expected to nominate its vice chairman and stalwart, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, as prime minister. | The PPP is widely expected to nominate its vice chairman and stalwart, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, as prime minister. |
There is no dearth of vacant seats and the Sharifs can contest by-elections without any problem PML-N spokesman Profile: Nawaz Sharif | There is no dearth of vacant seats and the Sharifs can contest by-elections without any problem PML-N spokesman Profile: Nawaz Sharif |
Like Mr Sharif, the PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari is not a member of parliament and therefore cannot be a candidate for PM. | Like Mr Sharif, the PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari is not a member of parliament and therefore cannot be a candidate for PM. |
He took over at the helm of the party after the assassination in December of his wife - another former Pakistani PM, Benazir Bhutto. | He took over at the helm of the party after the assassination in December of his wife - another former Pakistani PM, Benazir Bhutto. |
Tentative coalition | Tentative coalition |
A spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said Mr Sharif and his brother were both planning to take part in by-elections. | A spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said Mr Sharif and his brother were both planning to take part in by-elections. |
"Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif will contest by-elections," Siddiqul Farooq told the AFP news agency. | "Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif will contest by-elections," Siddiqul Farooq told the AFP news agency. |
"There is no dearth of vacant seats and the Sharifs can contest by-elections without any problem." | "There is no dearth of vacant seats and the Sharifs can contest by-elections without any problem." |
Several by-elections are expected to be held in the next few weeks. | Several by-elections are expected to be held in the next few weeks. |
Many details of the coalition between the PML-N and PPP have yet to be worked out and the two parties have a long history of mutual mistrust. | Many details of the coalition between the PML-N and PPP have yet to be worked out and the two parties have a long history of mutual mistrust. |
Blow to Musharraf | Blow to Musharraf |
Mr Sharif and his brother had been banned from taking direct part in general elections because of a series of criminal convictions dating back to 1999, when a military coup brought President Musharraf to power. | |
The former prime minister returned from exile in Saudi Arabia late last year to lead his party's poll battle. | The former prime minister returned from exile in Saudi Arabia late last year to lead his party's poll battle. |
He has been deeply critical of President Musharraf and says he wants "to rid Pakistan of dictatorship forever". | He has been deeply critical of President Musharraf and says he wants "to rid Pakistan of dictatorship forever". |
The new coalition is seen as a threat to Mr Musharraf and may use its parliamentary clout to unseat him. | The new coalition is seen as a threat to Mr Musharraf and may use its parliamentary clout to unseat him. |
The president was re-elected late last year in a parliamentary vote boycotted by the opposition as unconstitutional. | The president was re-elected late last year in a parliamentary vote boycotted by the opposition as unconstitutional. |
He has been a major US ally in the "war on terror" but his popularity has waned at home amid accusations of authoritarianism and incompetence. | He has been a major US ally in the "war on terror" but his popularity has waned at home amid accusations of authoritarianism and incompetence. |
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