Islamabad: The PML-Q suffered a setback as its ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement today decided to withdraw party leader Farooq Sattar as the joint opposition candidate for the post of Pakistan's new prime minister.

London-based MQM chief Altaf Hussain made the decision to withdraw Sattar from the race following a request from Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, MQM leaders said.

Sattar told reporters that the party had decided in principle that he would withdraw from the race and the decision would be formally announced after talks with the PML-Q tomorrow.

Earlier in the day, Zardari telephoned the MQM chief and requested him to withdraw Sattar as the opposition candidate for premiership. Hussain agreed to the proposal after consulting MQM leaders in Pakistan.

The PML-Q and MQM had named Sattar as the joint opposition candidate for premiership last week. The new Prime Minister is set to be elected by the National Assembly during a session on March 24. The PPP has said it will announce its candidate for premiership tomorrow.

Sattar said the MQM had not attached any conditions to its decision though observers said the move was made with an eye on joining the government to be formed by the PPP in Sindh province.

Provincial capital Karachi and its surrounding areas are the strongholds of the MQM, which was earlier perceived as being close to President Pervez Musharraf.

Earlier, the PPP dropped plans to include the MQM in the federal government due to opposition from former premier Nawaz Sharif's PML-N party.

Source : PTI