Zardari, Achakzai endorsed for presidential candidacy

ECP sets aside objection raised to nomination papers of SIC candidate

ISLAMABAD:

The country’s election oversight authority accepted the nomination papers of both Asif Ali Zardari, the presidential candidate of the ruling coalition, and Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the presidential candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), on Monday.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja scrutinized the papers submitted by these and other candidates who intended to contest the election for the country’s next president. During the scrutiny process, a presidential candidate, Ali Mubarak, raised objections to Achakzai's candidacy.

He contended that the nomination papers of PkMAP chief should be rejected as he deviated from the Constitution of Pakistan by making statements against the establishment and institutions on the floor of the assembly.

Achakzai, he said, also maligned the institution by accusing that Rs70 billion were taken from people to rig the elections. After hearing the objection, the CEC reserved his order on the nomination papers.

Later, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the list of candidates for the presidential election, according to which the nomination papers of Zardari and Achakzai were accepted.
The ECP turned down the nomination papers of all other candidates.

PPP leader Farooq H Naek later told the media that no one had raised any objections to the nomination papers submitted by Zardari. “We have the required numbers; Asif Ali Zardari will be elected president for the second time,” he said.

Zardari is the joint candidate of the PML-N, the PPP, the ANP, the PML-Q, BAP, and the IPP parties while Achakzai is the candidate of the SIC. The MQM and the JUI-F have not yet decided whether they will support Zardari or abstain from voting.

The presidential election is scheduled for Saturday, March 9.