Shahabuddin nominated as Pakistan's next PM by Zardari

President Asif Ali Zardari has nominated Pakistan People’s Party leader Makhdoom Shahabuddin as Prime Minister, according to reports. Shahabuddin has held several portfolios in former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s cabinet since 2008 and is presently Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Textile Industry. PTV reported that the textile minister had been chosen to be as the country’s next Prime Minister and it was subject to the endorsement by other political allies. [caption id=“attachment_352115” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Textile Industry Makhdoom Shahabuddin (R) is to be the country’s next PM according to reports. 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.