PPP nominates Aitzaz Ahsan for post of president

KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Sunday decided to nominate party leader Aitzaz Ahsan as its candidate for the post of the country’s president.

Citing sources, ARY News reported, the PPP leadership picked Mr Ahsan for the slot of the head of state.

A day earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominated party stalwart, Arif Alvi, as its candidate for the election of president of Pakistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan gave his consent for Mr. Alvi’s nomination as head of the state.

Mr. Khan consulted party members on the matter and decided Alvi’s name for the president office, said senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhary.

According to sources, consultation for the key post was going on for last three days and Imran had reportedly decided to finalize the name after his oath-taking.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued a schedule for the presidential election, setting Sept 4 as the day of the ballot.

President Hussain’s five-year term is set to expire on September 9. According to the Constitution, the presidential election must be held at least a month prior to the expiry of the incumbent’s term, which in this case would have been August 8.

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

Ordinarily, the presidential election is held either a month after the General Election, or at least a month before the expiry of the president’s tenure.