Pak PM drama: Who is Makhdoom Shahabuddin?

The ruling Pakistan People’s Party has nominated senior leader Makhdoom Shahabuddin for the post of premier following the Supreme Court’s disqualification of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Who is Makhdoom Shahabuddin? He has held several portfolios in Gilani’s cabinet since 2008. Shahbuddin is the MNA from Rahim Yar Khan and currently he is Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Textile Industry. [caption id=“attachment_350585” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (L) greets Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Textile Industry Makhdoom Shahabuddin (R). Reuters”]  [/caption] Like Gilani, Shahabuddin belongs to a spiritual family that is revered and is the custodian of the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Shah Rukn-e-Alam. During a revamp of Gilani’s cabinet in February last year, Shahabuddin was tipped to be sworn in as the Foreign Minister. However, the party changed its plans after Shah Mahmood Qureshi skipped the swearing-in ceremony on learning that he would not be reallocated the Foreign Ministry. Former premier Gilani had expressed reservations over the candidature of Shahabuddin. Both Gilani and Shahabuddin belong to the southern part of Punjab and political rivalries were believed to be the reason for Gilani’s reservations. ollowing the Supreme Court’s disqualification of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.