ISLAMABAD, 13 August 2006 — Former Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and journalist-turned-politician, Mushahid Hussain Syed, have been re-elected unopposed, as president and secretary-general respectively of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML).
Nobody challenged the candidature of Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain for the two top party posts as Friday, the day for filing nomination papers between 12noon to 2:00 p.m., passed.
Former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali — who had earlier surprised everybody by his announcement to contest for secretary-general, the post he was holding before becoming the prime minister in 2002 — withdrew his candidature apparently after President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz urged hum to do so.
In the morning, Jamali was seen telling his friends that he was a candidate for the post of secretary-general and would remain so. However, at a meeting later held at the prime minister house, he was persuaded to withdraw.
Those supporting Chaudhry Shujaat for the post of party president included Jamali, Hamid Nasir Chattha, Majeed Malik and Gohar Ayub. Mushahid Hussain also had the backing of primie Minister Aziz, S.M. Zafar and others.
Later, nomination papers were filed at the PML House in the presence of a large number of PML leaders and workers. Aziz and Jamali accompanied the Chaudhry Shujaat who filed his nomination papers.
About the withdrawal of Jamali, senior PML leader Lt. Gen. (retired) Abdul Majeed Malik said:
“His withdrawal is as surprising as his announcement of candidature.”
Minister of State for Information Tariq Azeem said differences within the party were part of a democratic process.
“But how such differences are tackled by party leaders speaks about their political wisdom,” he said, quoting Jamali’s case as an example.
He said now that Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain had been elected, the 1,500-member general council yesterday endorsed this election.
Through a resolution, the council would empower the party president to nominate other office-bearers.
