January 9, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 24, 1422

LONDON, Jan 8: Pakistan-born Rt Rev Michael Nazir Ali is among the leading candidates to replace George Carey as archbishop of Canterbury, who on Tuesday announced he was retiring as leader of millions of Anglicans around the world.

The Church of England is expected to start immediately drawing up a shortlist of contenders to succeed Carey when he retires on Oct 31, and intense competition is anticipated between its liberal and conservative wings.

The Crown Appointments Commission, made up of archbishops, lay and elected members as well as government appointees, is expected to narrow down the shortlist to two.

The names will be passed to Prime Minister Tony Blair who will convey his choice to Queen Elizabeth.

MICHAEL NAZIR ALI: The 52-year-old evangelical is Carey’s own choice as successor. A respected authority on Christian-Muslim relations, Nazir Ali has won universal respect for his insight into Islam following the Sept 11 terror attacks in the United States and is seen as a candidate who would appeal to the estimated 70 million Anglicans worldwide.

A conservative on social issues, he was recently criticized after saying married couples who chose not to have children were “self indulgent”. Nazir Ali became the first England’s ethnic minority diocesan bishop with his appointment as bishop of Rochester in 1994.—AFP