With influential cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri descending on Islamabad with swarms of his supporters, Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Tuesday lobbied with top political leaders, including Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif, to uphold the democratic system.
Hamza was re-elected to the post by just three votes amidst high drama.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will be accompanied by ex-premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and several of his cabinet colleagues, including Interior Minister Rehman Malik, for his visit to Mohali on Wednesday to watch the World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan, a media report has said.
Pakistan Muslim League - Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has emerged as a mediator between Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani after differences between Pakistan's civilian government and the powerful military seemed to reach at point of no return. Hussain, who served as prime minister during Pervez Musharraf's reign, is considered to be close to the security establishment and is known for his links with the armyThe lead
Pakistan's ruling PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is expected to meet his rival, Pakistan Muslim League-N president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's brother Shahbaz, in London to discuss modalities for the latter's return to the country ahead of the general election. Hussain is currently in London for a medical check-up but sources in his Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid party said he had been tasked with finalising the details for Shahbaz's return to Pakistan.
The government claims the deal bars the deposed prime minister from entering the country before the completion of a ten-year exile.
Earlier this month, the parliament approved amendments in Hudood laws on rape and adultery.
'The people need to be convinced that no one will put salt in their old wounds,' says former Pakistan PM Shujaat Hussain.
Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday said that the current emergency in Pakistan will prove to be the 'shortest ever' in the history of the country as it would be lifted within a few weeks. Hussain claimed that his advice to impose emergency was ignored months ago and hundred of deaths could have been avoided if the step was taken earlier. The emergency, imposed on Saturday by Musharraf, would be lifted within a few weeks.
Aides of President Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan People's Party leader Benazir Bhutto will be holding a final round of talks in the United Arab Emirates from Tuesday to "devise a strategy for the coming general election," a media report said. The talks were earlier scheduled after Eid-ul-Fitr, but after Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and PML-N president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain ruled out any truck with the PPP for the polls, the meetings were urgently arranged.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Saturday allowed Hamza Shehbaz to remain as the 'trustee' Punjab province chief minister till hearing resumes on Monday, but barred him from using his powers for 'political gains' during this period.
'The faster we move forward, the greater the benefit,' says Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain.
He will be the first spiritual master from India to visit Pakistan on such a mission, a statement from Sri Sri Media Relations said.
The meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi drew mixed reactions in Pakistan, with most of the political parties accusing Sharif of failing to highlight Kashmir but the media was generally positive.
Abbasi will be sworn-in in later at a special ceremony at the President's House.
Abbasi will run the government until Sharif's brother Shehbaz is elected as member of parliament
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