PPP considers Faryal, Mirani for presidency

KARACHI - The PPP will propose the name of party's Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari sister Faryal Talpur, Aftab Shaban Mirani for the slot of President, well-informed sources revealed to TheNation here on Monday. They said that final decision to fill the slot would be taken after consultations with coalition partners including Mian Nawaz Sharif, Asfandwyar Wali and Maulana Fazalur Rehman. Sources in the PPP added that Zardari had already offered Nawaz Sharif and Asfandwyar Wali to become President but both leaders rejected it. The sources further said that in PPP circles names of Faryal Talpur, sister of party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and close aide to martyred Chairperson Benazir Bhutto Aftab Shaban Mirani were discussed as the next President. A PPP central leader told TheNation, on condition of anonymity, there was 100 percent chances that MNA Faryal Talpur would be the next President provided the coalition partners agreed on her name. "Next President may be taken from Balochistan or NWFP if coalition partners opposed the PPP suggestion to fill the slot with Faryal Talpur", the sources disclosed. It mat be recalled here that Zardari had also hinted in his recent interview, reported in media, that a woman could be elected for the slot of President. Meanwhile, power brokers have also sent message to Baloch nationalist leader, Ata ullah Mengal, that if he would help the government to end insurgency in Balochistan, they were ready to accept him as President and also suggested coalition partners to support Baloch nationalist for slot of President. Sources further revealed that Mengal had turned down the offer and gave his proposal that if federal government announced provincial autonomy to the province, he would consider the offer to take responsibility of President.

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