Aziz will not stand in parliamentary elections next year

Islamabad: Former prime minister Shaukat Aziz announced yesterday he would not stand in the January 8 parliamentary elections, saying he had enjoyed a "magnificent innings" and wanted a respite.

Widely credited with sound economic management as finance minister and later as chief executive under President General Pervez Musharraf, Aziz told a news conference the former ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) did offer to put him up as a candidate.

Before becoming prime minister he won a bye-election to the parliament from Attock near Islamabad on a seat vacated by a PML lawmaker.

PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and secretary general Mushahid Hussain were present at the media conference.

Aziz said the PML leadership had offered him party tickets to contest the polls from one of eight constituencies.

Rest

"Now I think there should be some rest after long years of consistent work. I will remain in Pakistan and continue to serve the country in other ways," he said.

"I have enjoyed a magnificent innings and want to maintain the momentum in my future political career along with my colleagues and well wishers, who always supported me," he said.

Aziz hoped the people would repose their confidence in the policies of the PML in the upcoming general elections.

Shujaat denied reports that many in the party were not in favour of awarding a party ticket to the former prime minister, who spent most of his working life abroad as a banking executive before coming to Pakistan.

The PML leader said he personally wanted Aziz to contest from Attock because he had a "good reputation" among the people of the constituency.

Nobody in the party ever raised any objection to awarding a party ticket to Aziz, Shujaat Hussain said, adding some irresponsible elements were spreading rumours to the contrary.

He said the PML parliamentary board had in fact unanimously recommended a ticket for the former prime minister.

The board on Friday finalised a list of PML candidates for 109 of the 148 seats of the National Assembly from the Punjab province.