- PTI candidate Arif Ali expressed hope of an easy win in presidential elections
- PML-N leader Amir Muqam withdraws nomination papers for presidential candidature
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday published the final list of names of candidates for the presidential election.
As per the final list, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Dr Arif Alvi, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Aitzaz Ahsan and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman are in the run for the presidential election to be held on September 4.
ARIF ALVI CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS IN ELECTION:
Presidential candidate and PTI leader Dr Arif Alvi expressed the hope of an easy win in the upcoming elections for President of Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday after meeting with the leadership of allied parties and PTI, he said that he would be elected with an overwhelming majority in the presidential elections.
“My priority after winning elections would be the promotion of harmony among the federating units,” Arif Alvi told journalists.
The PTI leader said his party would address the problems of small federating units, including KP and Balochistan.
AMIR MUQAM WITHDRAWS NOMINATION PAPERS:
The ECP on Wednesday had approved the nomination papers submitted by PTI’s Dr Arif Alvi, PPP’s Aitzaz Ahsan, MMA’s Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Ameer Muqam out of the 12 candidates who submitted papers for the presidential election.
PML-N leader Ameer Muqam was the only candidate who decided to opt out of the presidential election as the deadline to withdraw papers lapsed at 12pm on Thursday.
“I want to withdraw my nomination papers,” said the PML-N leader whose decision left the polls on Tuesday a three-way battle.
OPPOSITION PARTIES DIVIDE OVER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE:
Earlier, the opposition parties remained divided over their joint presidential candidate. PPP decided it would not withdraw the nomination of its presidential candidate, Aitzaz Ahsan.
In an attempt to bridge the gap, Aitzaz had said on Wednesday that Maulana Fazl “is a friend and I respect him,” adding that he hoped “the JUI-F chief will withdraw from the race and support me for the office of president.”
Aitzaz had added, “The Constitution only binds a lawmaker to vote as per party policy when it comes to voting on the budget, a constitutional amendment, or the election of the prime minister and chief ministers.”
“Voters have to decide this and I hope some PTI leaders will also vote for me,” he had added.
The presidential election will be held five days before the term of current President Mamnoon Hussain ends.
The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly and four provincial assemblies. Voting is held through a secret ballot.
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