President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP), has nominated Federal Law Minister Farooq H. Naek for the slot of Senate Chairman. The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Zardari Sunday night and revealed a rift within the PPP as the leader of House in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, who was the leading aspirant for the Senate slot, subsequently resigned. All the 28 Senators of the party, besides Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, attended the high-level meeting. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that the decision was taken with consensus. Naek's nomination would further create rifts between PPP and PML-N of opposition leader Nawaz Sharif as the latter has always been skeptical about the law minister and considered him the main obstacle in the way of restoration of the deposed judiciary. Sharif wants Justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry, who was sacked by Pervez Musharraf when he was president, reinstated as chief justice. Zardari opposes this as he fears Hussein may reopen corruption cases against him. Meanwhile, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) have decided to join hands in forming a coalition government in Punjab with either Salmaan Taseer or Qasim Zia as the new provincial chief minister. Both the parties evolved this political strategy in a meeting between PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. Under the power-sharing formula set for the likely coalition government in Punjab, the portfolio of senior minister would go to PML-Q's Moonis Elahi, son of Pervez Elahi, said a source. There is also a possibility that the PPP may offer slot of chief minister to the PML-Q while keeping major share in the ministries but the final decision would be taken after the PML-Q leaders meeting with President Asif Zardari after his return from Iran. The PML-Q, which has earlier demanded the chairmanship of Senate in lieu of its alliance with the PPP in Punjab, may have its adjustment with the PPP after meeting Zardari. Water & Power Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf categorically ruled out any further reconciliation bid with the PML-Nawaz only after getting a go-ahead from his party high-ups due to political consensus developed between the PPP and PML-Q. Regarding the issue of ministries, the parties would decide it as per their numerical strength in the Punjab Assembly. The PML-Q leadership discussed modalities with the PPP in Punjab and showed consent to work with Qasim Zia or Governor Salman Taseer as the new chief minister with whom the Chaudhrys feel they may have a comfortable working relationship as compared to any of the other PPP members. However, the PPP has not given any final word about the party's candidate for the slot of chief minister as it was still yet to be decided. The Chaudhrys also expressed their distrust towards the PML-N leaders who according to them have ditched many of their party members in the past. Both the parties also discussed the issue of PML-Q dissidents, a majority of whom is still supporting the PML-N and formulated a strategy to woo them. Senior PML-Q leader Raja Basharat has been assigned the task of filing reference of disqualification against the dissidents to bar them from voting in favour of the PML-N. The PML-Q is working on a plan to have the dissidents disqualified before they cast their vote against the party, with Basharat as the main player behind this pre
