Lahore: : With rival-turned ally Nawaz Sharif stealing the limelight with his full-throttle demand for Pervez Musharraf’s ouster, PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said his party will soon “appoint” the next president, hinting that the former general’s days in office could be numbered.

“The day is not far off when someone like Salman Taseer will be in the presidency. The PPP will soon appoint the next President,” Zardari said addressing a gathering of PPP workers at the Governor’s House here last night.He was referring to Tasser, a Pakistan People’s Party stalwart who was recently made Governor of Punjab province. Zardari said the Presidency will soon resound with slogans like “Jeay Bhutto” (Long live Bhutto).

Though Zardari had last month described Musharraf as a “relic of the past standing between the people and democracy”, the PPP has been lukewarm to PML (N) leader Sharif’s demand to remove him.