Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The opposition bloc is still divided over fielding a consensus presidential candidate for upcoming election for the post of the country’s president.

According to reports, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which had nominated Aitzaz Ahsan as its candidate, is standing firm on its choice and has rejected the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) objections.

Earlier in the day, PPP senior leader Khursheed Shah said that he was hopeful that the PML-N would make a positive decision after taking into consideration his party’s choice. “The PML-N and the PPP will have to resolve their differences and move forward together,” he said, adding that PPP’s candidate for presidency was the “candidate of all of Pakistan”.

Also a statement quoting former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said, “Aitzaz Ahsan will remain our nominee. We will convince the PML-N to accept Ahsan.”

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had agreed to support PPP’s nominee. Rehman also met PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif after he was tasked by the PPP to convince the former to vote Ahsan in the upcoming presidential election.

However, the PML-N suggested that it would support PPP leader and former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani for the slot.

According to sources, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif agreed on Gillani’s name.

On Saturday, political leaders said that opposition parties had agreed to field a joint candidate in the presidential election.

Speaking to media after the conference, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said the name of the candidate would be announced on Sunday as PPP members had asked for some time to take their leadership into confidence over the discussion.

On Friday, PML-N leader Pervaiz Rasheed had said that the party would consider supporting Ahsan for the post of president if he applogises to former premier Nawaz.

However, responding to Rasheed’s comments, Ahsan in a media talk had said that the PML-N demand was “non-serious and non-political”.

Polling for the presidential election will be held on September 4.

The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly, and the four provincial assemblies. Voting is held through a secret ballot.

Published in Daily Times, August 27^th 2018.