LAHORE, April 17: Asif Ali Zardari won many hearts by giving Makhdoom Amin Fahim the chair reserved for him at a news conference at the Bilawal House. All party leaders and reporters were seated, waiting for Mr Zardari who was to hold his first formal press talk at his residence near the old airport.

Zardari entered the room in the company of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Jehangir Badr and Qasim Zia.

Mr Fahim asked Zardari to occupy the seat reserved for the star speaker. The spouse of Ms Benazir Bhutto respectfully asked Mr Fahim that he being the top most leader should sit there.

Both reiterated their respective stands a couple of times. Ultimately, Mr Amin Fahim occupied the seat, and Zardari sat beside him. The gesture was appreciated by other party leaders.

Present at the news conference were Jehangir Badr, Qasim Zia, Khalid Ahmed Kharal, Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Sajida Mir, Qaim Ali Shah, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Shah Mehmud Qureshi, Taj Haider, Nafees Siddiqui, Dr Fahmida Mirza, Sherry Rehman, Shamshad Bachani, Naveed Chaudhry, Azizur Rehman Chan, Munir Ahmed Khan, Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, Tahir Khaleeq, Mian Muhammad Ayub and Jamil Soomro.

The Bilalwal House remained the centre of activities on Sunday.

A large number of party leaders and workers met Mr Zardari and assured him of their full support and cooperation in the struggle for democracy.