Special report: Pakistani Situation

    ISLAMABAD, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's National Assembly secretariat Sunday accepted nomination papers of the two candidates for the office of prime minister.

    The nomination papers of the incoming ruling coalition Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) candidate Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi were accepted during the scrutiny.

    The National Assembly will ascertain Monday as to who enjoy majority through division in the lower house of the parliament.

    Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Thursday summoned the National Assembly session for the election of a new prime minister on March 24 and would administer the PM's oath-taking on March 25.

    PPP and coalition partners' PM candidate will have little problem to be elected since Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), a major opposition party, has decided to withdraw its prime minister candidate after mutual consultation.

    Speaking on the occasion of submitting nomination papers, Elahi said that he knew that how many votes he would obtain but he had become a candidate to maintain democratic norms.

    He said that the MQM had not betrayed the PML-Q but the PML-Q leadership had asked them to see the ground realities.