The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked candidates participating in September 4 presidential election to appear along with their proposers and seconders before the commission today (Wednesday).
In a statement, the top electoral body said that proposers and seconders should bring their original national identity cards and membership cards issued by the Senate or the relevant assembly.
The chief election commissioner will scrutinise nomination papers of candidates.
Candidatures can be withdrawn by 1200 hours on 30th of this month. The list of candidates will be published the same day at 1pm.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated Dr Arif Alvi for the post of president, while opposition parties except the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have nominated Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for the slot of president
The PPP has nominated senior party’s leader and lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan as its presidential candidate.
Despite differences, PPP announced that Aitzaz Ahsan would remain the party’s candidate for presidential elections. “I was not present at the party meeting in which it was decided to field my name as a candidate for the election of president,” Aitzaz had said.
Earlier, Dr Alvi had pointed out that candidates of other parties could have shown a positive gesture by withdrawing in his favour.
He was of the view that if he would be elected he would be the second president of Pakistan belonging to Karachi and it would be an honour for Sindh too. “But I am Pakistani and love my country and will prove it practically,” he had said.
Born in 1949 and a dentist by profession, Alvi is among the founding members of the PTI.
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 NA-247 (Karachi South-II) in the recently held general election.
Published in Daily Times, August 29th 2018.
