ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: Federal Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani on Thursday contradicted the statement made a day earlier by his deputy regarding the dates and modalities of the presidential and general elections. He also declared that there had been no decision on re-electing Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for a second term.

The surprise announcement seemed to override a statement made on Wednesday by the minister of state for information, Tariq Azeem.

Mr Azeem had said in unambiguous terms that the general election would take place by Jan 15, 2008, and would be preceded by an exercise by the present parliament to re-elect Gen Pervez Musharraf as president for a second term.

Mr Azeem had also declared in his press talk that the governing Pakistan Muslim League, or PML(Q), had decided to re-elect Shaukat Aziz as prime minister for a second term.

However, even before the political parties and analysts could start assessing the impact of such a dramatic announcement, Mohammad Ali Durrani declared that no such plans were on the cards. Much to the embarrassment of his own junior minister, he told journalists in Rawalpindi that neither the election dates had been fixed nor there had been any decision to re-elect Shaukat Aziz.

However, if it was any consolation for the prime minister, Mr Durrani announced that the PML (Q) would certainly award a ticket to Mr Aziz to stand in the general election, and a decision about the next prime minister would be taken later.

His insistence was this had also been Mr Aziz’s stance. “Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz himself has said a number of times that the Pakistan Muslim League would take a decision regarding the next prime minister after elections.”

It is not clear what had prompted State Minister Tariq Azeem to announce in such specificterms that the existing parliament would re-elect President Musharraf by October next year,and the process would be followed by the holding of general elections by Jan 15, 2008.

The statement sent shockwaves, not just through the opposition circles, but also among many of the government’s own allies — none of whom were taken into confidence.

Sources in the government said that on Thursday morning a decision was taken at the highest level that a clarification about both the presidential as well as the general elections was immediately required. The information minister was given the task to explain, in a somewhat subtle manner, the government’s official position on the issue.

After a reception in Rawalpindi, Mr Durrani had an ‘informal chat’ with journalists to explain the position of both the ruling PML (Q) as well as the government. The minister clearly avoided any comments on Mr Azeem’s ‘disclosure’, but said there was absolutely no ambiguity in the government’s position or plan about the elections. He said a formal announcement would be made at an appropriate time, but hastened to add that all moves, including the election of President Musharraf for a second term, would be in accordance with the Constitution.

Sources in the PML(Q) said a debate had been going on for quite some time within the ruling coalition on how to handle the tricky issue of the president’s re-election by the present parliament. There has also been more than one view on the likely dates for the general election, and on the question of re-electing Mr Aziz as prime minister.

Observers said the comments by Mr Azeem and a prompt clarification by Mr Durrani suggest that more efforts are required for building a consensus within the ruling party on such crucial issues before a formal announcement is made.