Pakistani parliament to hold confidence vote on new prime minister (video)

(dpa) - Pakistan's parliament was set on Saturday to hold a vote of confidence on the newly elected Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani.

Gillani, who was a top aide of slain ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, was elected earlier this week by the parliament, which is packed with rivals of embattled President Pervez Musharraf after his party was badly weakened in February elections.

Saturday's vote is a constitutional requirement to prove that the new prime minister enjoys the trust of the legislature.

Gillani will also lay out his government's policies for the first 100 days of his government. He is expected to announce a relief package for low-income groups who are severely affected by soaring prices and a rising unemployment rate.

The new government's much-awaited policy on the war against al- Qaeda and Taliban militants was also expected to be laid out on Saturday.

Gillani's partners in the coalition government have vowed to continue the war on terrorism but want to distance themselves from Musharraf's hard-handed policies. They intend to open a dialogue with the pro-Taliban militants.