Yousaf Raza Gillani - Prime Minister of Pakistan

Prime Minister of Pakistan

On 22 March 2008, after weeks of consideration, the elite members of the Central Executive Committee accepted the nomination of Gillani over populist Ameen Faheem for the post of prime minister. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party completed consultations and negotiations with the other parties to form a coalition alliance and the alliance endorsed the nomination. The formal announcement of the name of prime minister was expected to be made that night.

On 22 March at 9:38 PM Islamabad, (16:38 GMT), Gillani was officially announced by the peoples party as its candidate for the premiership of the country. Many analysts said that they would not be surprised if Zardari succeeded Gillani after a few months. It was reported on 24 March 2008, that Zardari said he was not interested in the job of prime minister and that Gillani would serve until 2013 in the position. Speculation that Zardari might be gunning for the premiership grew stronger when he picked the less popular Gillani over Ameen Faheem, a much powerful member of the central executive committee. Fahmida Mirza, the newly elected Speaker of the Assembly, insisted there was no plan to replace Gillani. She added, however, that if Gillani did not do a good job, all options were open.

On 24 March 2008, Gillani was elected Prime Minister by Parliament, defeating his rival, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi of the PML-Q, by a score of 264 to 42. He was sworn in by Musharraf on the next day. On 29 March, he won a unanimous vote of confidence in Parliament.

On the same day, following the vote of confidence, Gillani announced his programme for the first 100 days of his administration. Some of the points he announced were:

• Frontier Crimes Regulations and Industrial Relations Order repealed.
• A "truth and reconciliation commission" proposed.
• PM House budget cut by 40 percent.
• Special counters at airports for parliamentarians to be removed.
• No money to be spent on the renovation of government buildings and residences.
• A freedom of information law to be framed, while PEMRA will be made a subsidiary of the information ministry.
• Talks to be initiated with extremists who lay down arms and ‘adopt the path of peace’.
• A new package for tribal areas promised.
• Employment commission to be set up.
• Madressah authority to implement a uniform education curriculum.
• One million housing units to be built annually for low-income groups.
• Irrigation channels to be bricklined.
• Appointed Prof. Ghulam Hussain Saleem and Wazir Ibadat adviser to the prime minister for Gilgit Baltistan Affairs.
• A lifting of the bans on elected labour and students' unions.