Pakistan ruling party nominates ex-minister for PM; early elections likely

Pakistan’s main ruling party on Friday named Raja Pervez Ashraf as its nominee for prime minister and hinted at possible early elections after a court issued an arrest warrant for its first choice.

Ashraf has been dogged by allegations of corruption and controversy from his tenure as water and power minister. He served as information technology minister until the Supreme Court dismissed prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday, AFP reported.

On Thursday, an anti-narcotics court took the unusual step of issuing an arrest warrant for former textiles minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin over a drugs scandal. Shahabuddin had been President Asif Ali Zardari’s first choice to succeed Gilani.

The lower house of parliament has been summoned to vote in the new prime minister later Friday.

“Raja Pervez Ashraf is our candidate,” senior party official Syed Khurshid Shah told a news conference, hinting that the government could call an election before its mandate expires early next year.

“This is election year and we are going towards elections,” Shah said.

“If we have committed some mistakes or did not fulfill our manifesto, then the decision should be left to the people of Pakistan.”

Pakistanis have been watching their country’s three power centers -- the military, civilian leadership and Supreme Court -- flex their muscles, distracted from problems such as a troubled economy, poverty and a crisis in ties with the United States.

Ashraf is likely to deepen their frustrations with what has been described as a failed state, according to Reuters.

As water and power minister, he was seen by most Pakistanis as one of many senior officials who had failed to ease a crippling energy crisis, which triggered violent protests.