ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League (N) chief Nawaz Sharif yesterday rejected a request from the head of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to rejoin the coalition he quit Monday.
Sharif, a former prime minister, also dismissed Asif Ali Zardari’s call to withdraw his party’s presidential candidate, retired Justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, in his favor.
Zardari made the requests during a conversation with Sharif by telephone, Sharif said.
At a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday, Zardari told deputies of the PPP, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam that since the PPP emerged as the single largest party in Feb. 18 vote representing the four provinces, he had accepted the request of his party to run for president.
The Election Commission yesterday approved the candidature of the three main presidential hopefuls after scrutiny. They are PPP Co-Chairman Zardari, PML (N)’s Calcutta-born jurist Siddiqui and journalist-turned-politician Mushahid Hussain of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid).
In all 32 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for the presidential poll.
