Islamabad, September 3
Pakistani lawmakers are set to choose a new President on Tuesday, an election in which the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party’s candidate Arif Alvi is expected to win as the Opposition parties failed to field a joint candidate.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday completed preparations for the election. Polling stations have been set up in all four provincial assemblies in addition to the National Assembly. Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza Khan will serve as the Returning Officer.
Outgoing President Mamnoon Hussain’s tenure ends on September 8. He had declined for re-election to a second five-year term.
Apart from Alvi, the Pakistan Peoples Party’s Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Jamiat-e-Ulema (F) chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman are also in the race.
Alvi is a Karachi-based dentist-turned-politician, who reportedly stood by prime minister Imran Khan during his political career.
Since the PTI controls the National Assembly and has majority in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab and has support of the ruling Party in Balochistan, its candidate Alvi is in strong position. The ruling party has the highest number of party votes in the electoral college for elections to the office of the President. — PTI
Oppn fails to put up joint candidate
- The joint Opposition was to field a single candidate to give tough time to Arif Alvi, but failed to do so. PPP has nominated veteran politician Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan
- PML-N and MMA opposed the move. As the differences persisted, other Opposition parties nominated Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman
- PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said the division in the ranks of the Opposition will only benefit the ruling party
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