Islamabad: After only 20 months in office, Pakistan Prime Minsiter Zafarullah Khan Jamali today (June 26, 2004) resigned capping months of strained relations with President Pervez Musharraf and nominated his party PML-Q (Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid) President Chaudhury Shujat Hussain to succeed him.

60-year-old soft spoken Jamali, who became Prime Minister in November 2002 after the country's return to the civilian rule and was a strong supporter of the dialogue with India, dissolved his cabinet and asked all the ministers and advisors to quit their posts immediately.

Jamali, who hails from Baluchistan, played role of a warm and gracious host when the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Islamabad for SAARC summit in January last.

While nominating Hussain, who was seated by his side and to whom he gave his letter of resignation, Jamali said the media had been writing for more than a month speculating about his future. He gave no hint of any differences with Musharraf who is said to be unhappy with Jamali's performance and his "failure" to endorse his policies strongly.

Addressing his party MPs and other leaders, he said he had been given the "authority and clearance" to recommend his successor and he has nominated Hussain for the post and requested allied parties to support him in the National Assembly.

Hussain will seek a vote of confidence in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Jamali said Hussain's name has been endorsed by Muhsarraf as the new Prime Minister.

Amidst high drama following a flurry of reports of his resignation by television networks today, an emotionally upset Jamali drove to PML-Q party headquarters along with Hussain here, first handed over his resignation to the Party President and later announced the nomination of Hussain.

In an apparent dig at the television reports, which were reportedly leaked by the Presidential Secretariat, Jamali said he was resigning only now and not earlier as reported. He also did not give his resignation letter to Musharraf, but chose to give it to Hussain at a press conference televised by state run PTV.

Jamali said he dissolved his cabinet and asked the Ministers to send their resignations by tomorrow.

Hussain, who served as Home Minister in the deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's cabinet hailed from powerful Punjab province. His brother, Pervez Elahi is the Chief Minister of the province which has the largest number of members in Pakistan's Parliament. Hussain who emerged as a close confidant of Musharraf during the past few years previously nominated Jamali as the Prime Minister as he was the choice of Musharraf after the general elections in November, 2002.

He underwent a major surgery recently and remained a backroom operator wielding considerable influence. He was also a strong backer of the peace process with India and met the Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Menon recently.

In a brief remarks after his nomination as Prime Minister, Hussain said he would try to provide a more robust Government with a revamped cabinet.

Jamali has agreed to resign after a three-hour meeting with Musharraf, during which the President is believed to have asked him to tender resignation.

A former body guard of Fatima Jinnah, wife of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Jamali so far resisted all attempts by Hussain and party colleagues to make him resign and chose to do so after he was reportedly told to quit by Musharraf himself.

Significantly, the news of Jamali's resignation was flashed just as the nine member officials delegation, led by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar landed in New Delhi to begin the crucial composite dialogue with India after a gap of five years to discuss Kashmir and seven other outstanding issues.

Jamali said Finance Minister Shoukat Aziz will be having a "senior post" in the new cabinet.

He said a sustained campaign has been carried by some of the newspaper and TV networks for the past 37 days.

Without directly accusing party colleagues, he said different versions have been given hurting his dignity.

He thanked Musharraf in a passing reference along with other party colleagues, and said he ran a clean Government with no charges against him and his Ministers.

Hussain 60, hailing from Gujarat town in Punjab served as Information Minister in former Prime Minister Junejo's cabinet during Zia ul Haq's military regime. He later served as Home Minister in the first term of the deposed Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif's cabinet. His brother, Pervez Elahi is the Chief Minister of the province which has the largest members in Pakistan's Parliament.