PML-N expresses reservation over PPP pick of presidential candidate
Asif Ali Zardari has refused to take back the name of Aitzaz Ahsan.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has refused to retract the name of its nominee for the presidential election after the PML-N expressed reservation on the name of Aitzaz Ahsan.
Chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Sunday contacted PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and told him Asif Ali Zardari has refused to take back the name of Aitzaz Ahsan.
The PML-N, while suggesting the names of Yousuf Raza Gillani and Raza Rabbani, expressed reservation on Ahsan’s nomination, saying the veteran PPP leader had a strong stance against the party.
Opposition fails to reach consensus
An All Parties Conference (APC) of the grand opposition chaired by Shehbaz Sharif could not reach consensus to bring a joint candidate of the opposition for the elections of the president to be held on September 4.
The meeting, which was attended by the leaders of 11 opposition parties including PPP, JUI-F, Awami National Party (ANP) and Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), continued for around four hours.
During the meeting, the participants expressed grave concerns regarding PPP and complaint of the party’s withdrawal from premier elections and deciding against voting in favour of Shehbaz Sharif.
PML-N leaders Abdul Qadir Baloch, Ameer Muqam, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, Sardar Ayaz SAadiq, Ahsam Iqbal among other were present in the meeting.
Yousaf Raza Gillani and Khurshid Shah led the PPP delegation which includes Sherry Rehman, Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira and others.
Similarly, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Liaquat Baloch, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi and Maulana Awais Noorani from MMA participated in the APC.
Talking to media after the meeting, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said that the opposition parties have agreed to bring a joint candidate of the opposition for the elections of the president to be held on September 4, adding that the name of the candidate will be announced today.
He said that the PPP representatives have sought time till tonight to consult with their top leadership.
The former interior minister said that all the opposition parties have supported the proposal for giving right to vote to overseas Pakistan, but the Election Commission has introduced a system to this effect in haste.
Speaking on the occasion, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said it was need of the time that the opposition parties remain united.
ECP asks presidential candidates to submit nomination papers
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked the contestants of presidential election to submit their nomination papers with the presiding officers.
The candidates can file their nomination papers with presiding officers in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) will conduct the scrutiny of nomination papers at the Election Commission Secretariat on Wednesday at 10:00am.
The proposers and seconders of the presidential candidates must bring their identity cards issued by National Assembly or Senate during the scrutiny process.
The candidates can withdraw their nomination papers until Thursday next after which the final list will be made public on the same day.
The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly and four provincial assemblies.
Voting will be held through a secret ballot.
PTI names Arif Alvi
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has already given the name of Arif Alvi for the slot of president.
Born in 1949 and dentist by profession, Arif Alvi is among the founding members of the PTI.
Alvi ran for the seat of Provincial Assembly of Sindh as a candidate of PTI from constituency PS-114 (Karachi) in Pakistani general election, 1997, however remained unsuccessful.
He ran for the seat of Provincial Assembly of Sindh in Pakistani general election, 2002 as a candidate of PTI from constituency PS-90 Karachi-II but was unsuccessful and secured only 1,276 votes.
He served as the secretary general of PTI from 2006 to 2013.
He was elected as the member of the National Assembly of Pakistan for the first time in Pakistani general election, 2013 on PTI ticket from
Constituency NA-250. Alvi was the only PTI member to win a National Assembly seat from Sindh in 2013 elections
In 2016, he was made president of PTI Sindh chapter.
He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PTI from Constituency NA-247 (Karachi South-II) in the recently held general election.
