August 31, 2008	Sunday	Sha'aban 28, 1429

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: Asif Zardari received a boost in his quest for the presidency on Saturday from three quarters — JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PPP (S) chief Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, and, surprisingly, Amir Muqam, who had stood by former president Pervez Musharraf till the end.

The JUI-F chief said that his 48 members in the National Assembly, NWFP and Balochistan assemblies and the Senate would vote for the PPP candidate as the government had met the four demands which the JUI had made in return for its support.

The Maulana claimed that the Jamia Fareedia had been reopened, the Lal Masjid had been handed over to Ulema, the Bajaur military operation had been halted and Maulana Abdul Aziz of the Lal Masjid would be freed soon.

In Islamabad, Mr Muqam’s move surprised many observers, who had earlier switched loyalties from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal to support Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali during the election for prime minister in 2002. He announced his support during a meeting with federal Minister for States, and Frontier Regions (Safron) Najmuddin Khan along with 14 other MNAs and MPAs from the NWFP.

Mr Sherpao is the only MNA of his party but his party has three senators and six MPAs in the Frontier Assembly.

Mr Sherpao, who is the president of his own faction of the PPP (Sherpao), announced his party’s support for Mr Zardari after a meeting with MNAs Faryal Talpur and Farah Naz Isphahani at his residence here.

Mr Sherpao said: “My party’s ideology is closer to that of the PPP (being the parent party) and, therefore, it has decided to unconditionally support

Mr Zardari to become the country’s next president.” Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had earlier visited Mr Sherpao’s residence on Thursday and requested his party’s support.

Mr Sherpao said that he had urged the PPP-led coalition government to accelerate peace process in Fata and revive the Pak-Afghan Loya Jirga “which had worked wonders in bringing down tensions between the two countries”.

The former minister also called for early repatriation of more than 300,000 people displaced from the Bajaur Agency.

Mr Sherpao said that he had also emphasised for early restoration of pre-Nov 3 judiciary to end political impasse.

Ms Talpur thanked Mr Sherpao for his support.

Other lawmakers who met with the federal Minister for States, and Frontier Regions mainly belong to the Awami National Party from Malakand and Peshawar.

An official press release said the NWFP legislators unanimously “expressed solidarity and confidence in co-chairman and presidential candidate of the PPP Asif Ali Zardari and said that he would be elected by a thumping majority, because he is … the most suitable candidate”.

The delegation included MNAs Tariq Khattak, Allauddin and Abdul Mateen Khan, and MPAs Haji Hadiahullah, Shahzad Mohiuddin, Arshad Abidullah, Zameen Khan, Anwar Khan, Bacha Saleh, Waqar Khan, Zahir Shah Khan, Syed Muhammad and Malik Hayat.