ISLAMABAD, March 30: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has nominated Senator Raza Rabbani as leader of the upper house.

Mr Rabbani resigned as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate last week to let the new opposition choose its leader, following resignation by former Leader of the House Senator Wasim Sajjad.

According to official sources, the prime minister’s secretariat has issued orders nominating Senator Rabbani as the Leader of the House.

He has declined a berth in the federal cabinet on the grounds that he would not feel comfortable being sworn in by President Pervez Musharraf.

PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi has also refused to take a ministerial post for the same reason.