Pak Parliament to Elect New PM on June 22

Pakistan's lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, will elect the new prime minister at a special session to be convened on Friday, June 22, 2012. Minister for Textiles Makhdoom Shahabuddin and Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar are strong contenders for the post.

Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said the parliament session would begin Friday at 5.30 pm, while nomination papers would be submitted on June 21, Geo News reported.

Earlier, it was reported that PPP leaders have picked Shahabuddin for the office of the prime minister.

Sources told Geo News the decision was taken at a meeting of party leaders held late Tuesday under the chairmanship of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Shahabuddin is a member of the National Assembly from Rahim Yar Khan while Mukhtar represents Gujrat constituency — both in Punjab province. Mukhtar was formerly the defense minister.