Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
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March 22, 2008

Party of Late Benazir Bhutto Poised to Reveal Candidate for Pakistani
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1BA0ABD:A6F02AD83191E1608FCD1EA0A70A124198CBE7246176B735& Announcement
expected to be made by Ms. Bhutto's 19-year-old son Bilawal Bhutto
Zadari The political party of slain Pakistani opposition leader
Benazir Bhutto says it will announce its candidate for prime minister
Saturday.

The Pakistan Peoples Party candidate is expected be revealed by Ms.
Bhutto's 19-year-old son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Earlier, the Muttahida Quami Movement party, which is allied with
President Pervez Musharraf, said it was withdrawing its candidate for
the post, "calling it a gesture of goodwill." The move clears the way
for the PPP nominee to run uncontested.

MQM's parliamentary leader, Farooq Sattar, says the party is also
willing to join a governing coalition.

Ms. Bhutto's party won the most votes in February's parliamentary
elections, but had struggled to name a candidate. Among the contenders
are party president Makhdoom Amin Fahim and former parliament speaker
Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Parliament is scheduled to vote for a new prime minster on Monday.

Ms. Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was appointed PPP chairman
after his mother was assassinated in December. His father, Asif Ali
Zardari, is running the party's day to day affairs while the younger
man finishes his studies in London.

Meanwhile, a story in Saturday's New York Times says the leaders of
Pakistan's new coalition government have pledged to negotiate with
militants who have been orchestrating a series of suicide attacks in
Pakistan's urban areas.

The Times says the elder Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, head of the
Pakistan Muslim League-N, are determined to set a different course
from Mr. Musharraf, who has positioned himself as a prominent ally of
the United States and its war on terrorism.

Both Zardari and Mr. Sharif say the violence is an internal problem
that should be solved by Pakistanis.Some information for this report
was provided by AFP and AP.


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