ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Authorities in Pakistan Friday refused to bring a jailed politician to Parliament to campaign for the prime minister's post.
Javed Hashmi, a jailed opposition leader, is a candidate for the prime minister's office. The government is supporting Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, a New York banker Afavored to win.
Hashmi, who was arrested last year for distributing a letter against President Pervez Musharraf, is a joint candidate for all the opposition parties in the Pakistani parliament.
"He has already been convicted by a court and thus cannot be brought to Parliament," said speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain.
In Pakistan's parliamentary system, the prime minister is elected by the lower house from among its members. Hashmi was elected to the parliament two years ago while Aziz was elected earlier this month to a seat made available to him on Musharraf's instructions.
Musharraf came to power in 1999 in a peaceful coup but two years ago he restored partial democracy. While the country has a parliament and a prime minister, Musharraf continues to be the president and army chief.
