Qamar Zaman Kaira, two others shortlisted for Punjab governor

• Ahmed Mehmood, Chaudhry Riaz also in race for Punjab governor.
• PPP holding consultations for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor post.
• Party to announce candidates for both slots after presidential polls.

ISLAMABAD: As part of the power-sharing deal agreed upon by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over government formation, the former has shortlisted senior leader Qamar Zaman Kaira along with two other leaders for Punjab governor, The News reported on Monday.

Sources say that the other two PPP leaders being considered by the Bilawal Bhutto-led party for the highly sought-after post include Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood and Chaudhry Riaz.

Meanwhile, the party is currently holding consultations for the office of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor and will announce the names of both constitutional posts after the presidential elections are held on March 9, sources added.

The development comes as last month, both parties reached an agreement to form a coalition government in the Centre wherein the PPP, with its 54 National Assembly seats, agreed to support the PML-N in government formation after none of the two parties managed to secure a simple majority in the lower house in the February 8 general elections.

Following several rounds of talks held between both sides, it was decided that the PPP would get various constitutional posts including Punjab and KP governors along with the office of the president, for which Asif Ali Zardari has filed his nomination papers, and the National Assembly's deputy speaker — on which Syed Ghulam Mustafa was elected last week.

Meanwhile, the PML-N got to bring its own prime minister and NA speaker as part of the deal.

A day earlier, PML-N's Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the 24th Prime Minister by securing 201 votes in the NA after PPP lawmakers, along with members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and others, voted in the PML-N's favour.

Furthermore, the PPP succeeded in securing PML-N's support for forming its government in Balochistan with Sarfraz Bugti as the province's Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, PML-N's Abdul Khaliq Achakzai and PPP's Ghazala Gola were elected the Balochistan Assembly's speaker and deputy speaker, respectively.