PPP co-chair Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday hinted that his party would not be taking any ministries in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's cabinet — which is yet to be decided since the premier's election on April 11.
"I don't think we are taking any ministries," he told journalists outside the National Assembly after PPP's Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was elected NA speaker unopposed.
"We want to give a chance to our friends," Zardari added, referring to the government's coalition partners which comprises eight political parties.
The former president's statement comes after the PPP issued a notification on Saturday, inviting applications for party tickets in the national and provincial assemblies for the forthcoming general elections in the country.
A statement issued by Farhatullah Babar, secretary general of the party, said that each application should be accompanied with a bank draft of Rs40,000 for an NA party ticket and Rs30,000 for a provincial assembly ticket.
"Applications must reach the party secretariat in Islamabad or Bilawal House in Karachi by April 30," it added.
When asked if he wants to put all the burden on Shehbaz Sharif, he said that there is no such thing. "We want friends to be given a chance."
At the same time, the PPP has also invited applications from candidates for the National Assembly and provincial assemblies for the forthcoming general election.
After Zardari's press talk, senior leaders of the PPP started explaining his remarks and said he did not mean that the PPP was not joining the cabinet, the report said.
A senior PPP leader, on the condition of anonymity, said that the PPP wanted to fulfil promises and agreements that it had made with coalition partners, then it would join the cabinet. Sources said the PPP, in a meeting with the PML-N, had finalised names for the cabinet
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to add 12 PML-N MNAs to his federal cabinet, while PPP will get seven slots, sources told Geo News Thursday.
PM Shehbaz was sworn in as the prime minister on April 11, following the removal of Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion, making him the first premier to be removed through the democratic process.
(with inputs from IANS)
