Thaindian News

Islamabad, June 19 (IANS) The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Tuesday said it accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court that said Yousuf Raza Gilani stood disqualified as the prime minister after the contempt of case ruling.

The decision was taken during the party’s Central Executive Committee meeting chaired by President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Geo News reported.

The PPP will put forward the name of a new prime minister following a meeting of the coalition partners.

Media reports said there were two strong contenders for the post of prime minister — Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar and Minister for Textile Makhdoom Shabuddin.

The name of Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur was also mentioned, Xinhua reported.

The party will file a review petition against the apex court’s decision.

A meeting of the PPP Parliamentary Party has also been summoned Wednesday to review the verdict.

Zardari also cancelled his June 20-22 state visit to Russia to attend an international economic forum.

PPP general secretary Jehangir Badar said the Cabinet stands dissolved after the disqualification of Gilani.

“Everywhere in the world, wherever the PM is gone the Cabinet is gone,” he said.

The Supreme Court Tuesday ruled that Gilani stood disqualified as prime minister as well as MP since the apex court’s April 26 verdict holding him in contempt of court for refusing to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against Zardari.

Gilani was convicted April 26 of contempt of court. The apex court, however, sentenced him only “until the rising of the court”, or till the time the judges left the court chamber. That was only for about 30 seconds after the verdict was handed down.