Pakistan’s presidential candidates submit nomination papers for July 30 election

Mamnoon Hussain, center right, a candidate from ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-N shakes hands with Raza Rabbani, a candidate from opposition party Pakistan People Party after submitting their nomination papers for upcoming presidential election in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, July 24, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Candidates for election to the office of the President in Pakistan Wednesday submitted nomination papers that marks formal beginning of the process for the presidential elections. The elections were previously scheduled to be held on August 6, however, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold polls on July 30.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) had approached the apex court for the change of the presidential election date instead of August 6. Senator Raja Zafarul Haq of the PML-N had requested the court to change the date as nearly 100 lawmakers will be in Saudi Arabia on August 6 for religious rituals in the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan and will miss the voting.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had earlier rejected the government’s request for change in the election date and the PML-N then knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry asked the Election Commission to review July 30 as a day for presidential elections if there were no legal obstacles.

The Election Commission told the court that it can hold the elections on July 30. The PML-N Wednesday formally nominated Mamnoon Hussain as its candidate in a meeting of the top leaders in Islamabad. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had presided over the meeting.

The main opposition Pakistan Peoples Party has nominated its senior leader Senator Raza Rabbani to challenge the ruling party candidate. Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf, another main party led by cricketer- turned politician, Imran Khan, has also fielded a former top judge, Wajihuddin Siddiqi.

Five independent candidates also filed nomination papers, election commission sources said. Three candidates submitted their forms with the high court judges in Islamabad and Karachi. Mamnoon Hussain and Raza Rabbani submitted their nomination papers before the chief justice of Islamabad high court.

Three independent candidates Muhammad Iqtadar Haider, Ejaz Ahmad and Ashfaq Chaudhry submitted their nomination papers before the chief justice of Islamabad high court. Two independent candidates submitted their papers before the chief justice of Sindh High Court. These are Haji Khan Mashori and Muhammad Shahid Riffat. The Senate, National Assembly and four provincial assemblies are the Electoral College for presidential elections. <Xinhua/NEWSis>