Looking for a President

WITH the departure of President Musharraf the issue of succession is likely to turn into another bone of contention within the ruling coalition. Soon after landing at Islamabad airport PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari declared, without being person specific, that the next President was to be from his party. Statements by Minister of Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf and PPP MNA Farzana Raja indicate that a section of the PPP is keen to see Mr Zardari in the Presidency. Names of two other potential candidates from the PPP, MNA Faryal Talpur and MNA and former Defence Minister Aftab Shabaan Mirani are also doing the rounds. The PML-N has not put up a candidate of its own but wants a widely respected politician or a retired judge from one of the smaller provinces. Of the names suggested by the party leadership, Sardar Ataullah Mengal has refused point blank to be ever a candidate for the post. The ANP and JUI-F have yet to take a stand on the issue and the matter is supposedly under discussion among these parties. Outside the coalition, MQM chief Altaf Hussain who had been praised by Mr Asif Zardari for his “positive role” leading to the exit of President Musharraf has in turn proposed  the name of Mr Zardari for the post of the President.