ISLAMABAD, March 17: Leaders of the parties forming a coalition government at centre — Asif Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, Asfandyar Wali and Maulana Fazlur Rahman — pledged on Monday to work together for the supremacy of parliament, restoration of the Constitution and eradication of the last vestiges of dictatorship.

Addressing a meeting of legislators of the parties at the Parliament House, they said they were determined to overcome all hurdles in the way of establishing a genuine democratic system.

The legislators of the combined opposition comprising PML-Q, MQM and other parties also held a meeting before taking oath in the National Assembly.

The meeting decided to nominate Israrullah Tareen from Balochistan as opposition’s candidate for the post of speaker and Khushbakht Shujaat of the MQM for deputy speaker.

PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif in their speeches at the meeting of the new ruling coalition said the government would work in harmony to put the country on road to progress.

They arrived at the parliament house in processions and were received by the leader of opposition in Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani. Facing a large number of media personnel, both the leaders were non-committal about their prime ministerial candidate.

When pressed by the media, Mr Zardari smiled and said: “My prime minister will be Mian Saheb.” And Mr Sharif responded by saying: “I would like Asif Zardari to become the premier.”

Addressing the meeting, Mr Zardari said: “We will together eliminate all signs of dictatorship from the country.” He said “This is the last day of dictatorship as we take the first step towards undiluted democracy.”

Mr Sharif said: “You all belong to my party. I see no division on the mission to bring real democracy to the country.”

The participants were briefed by senior parliamentarians on what was expected of them in the assembly.

PPP’s senior vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim in interviews with the media kept his cool while answering questions about the nomination of prime minister’s candidate.

When asked if his candidature for the post had been opposed by the PML-N leadership, he said: “I cannot believe unless I hear them say it.” He appeared to have been perturbed by some derogatory words written about himself in banners put up outside the Parliament House, and said: “The party has taken note of it.”

Makhdoom Amin said parliament was a sovereign institution which needed to be strengthened and enabled to take decisions of national importance. He hoped that a decision on the issue of prime minister would be taken in a couple of days.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar claimed that the prime minister in 2013 would be from his party. On arrival at the parliament house, Mr Sattar said: “This is the rehearsal for next elections. The prime minister in 2013 will be from the Muttahida,” he said.

“We will not just thump desks nor will we create hurdles for the government,” Mr Sattar said. According to him, MQM’s popular vote had increased from 6 per cent to 9 per cent.

In what appeared to be a surprising development, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao distanced himself from the pro-Musharraf opposition, saying that his party had nothing to do with the PML-Q during the elections.

After the swearing-in ceremony in the National Assembly, Mr Sherpao told the media that his party would not align itself with any opposition alliance.

PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal said: “The presence of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari in the Parliament House today reflected the verdict of the people who want them to govern the country together.”

He said it had happened despite President Pervaiz Musharraf’s concerted efforts of eight years to eliminate the two popular parties from the national scene.