ISLAMABAD, Aug 11: Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain Syed have been re-elected unopposed, respectively as president and secretary general of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

Nobody challenged the candidature of Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain for the two top party posts as Friday, the day for filing nomination papers between 12noon to 2:00pm, passed.

Former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali - who had earlier surprised everybody by his announcement to run as secretary general, the post he was holding before becoming the country’s prime minister in 2002 – withdrew his candidature on the desire of President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

In the morning, Mir Zafarullah Jamali was seen telling his friends that he was a candidate for the post of secretary general and would remain so. However, at a meeting later held at the Prime Minister House, he was persuaded to withdraw.

Those siding with Chaudhry Shujaat for the post of party president included Mir Zafarullah Jamali, Hamid Nasir Chattha, Majeed Malik and Gohar Ayub. Mushahid Hussain also had the backing of Prime Minister Aziz, SM Zafar and others.

Later, nomination papers were filed at the PML House in the presence of a large number of PML leaders and workers.

Prime Minister Aziz and Jamali accompanied the Chaudhry Shujaat who filed his nomination papers.

About the withdrawal of Jamali, senior leaguer Lieutenant General Abdul Majeed Malik said: “His withdrawal is as surprising as his announcement of candidature.”

Minister of State for Information Tariq Azeem said differences within the party was part of a democratic process. “But how such differences are tackled by party leaders speaks about their political wisdom,” he said, quoting Jamali’s case as an example.

He said now that Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain had been elected, the 1,500-member general council would meet on Saturday to endorse this election.

Through a resolution, the council would empower the party president to nominate other office-bearers.

Also present on the occasion were Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Jam Muhammad Yousuf, chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan respectively, Federal Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, Leader of the House in Senate Wasim Sajjad, Senator Nisar Memon, Nisar Muhammad Khan, Salim Saifullah Khan, Kamil Ali Agha, Imtiaz Ranjha and others.

When asked to comment on the re-election of Chaudhry Shujaat, veteran leaguer Kabir Ali Wasti said: “I wish I had served the president better then Shujaat so as to rise in his eyes.”