Ahsan nominated as PPP’S presidential candidate

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has nominated its senior leader Aitzaz Ahsan as its presidential candidate for the next month’s election.

Incumbent President jamnoon Hussain retires on September 8 on completing his five-year term. Before that the new president will be elected.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) has fielded Dr Arif Alvi as its and its allies’ contestant for the presidential election. He is going to be elected as the president of Pakistan for the next five years in view of the majority of the PTI and its allied parties in the Electoral College - the National Assembly, Senate and four provincial assemblies.

Although the PPP is not the majority party among the opposition forces in the Electoral College, it has taken lead in putting up its candidate, preempting the Pakistan juslim League-nawaz (PJL-N), whose numerical strength is more than that of the PPP.

The PPP has started contacting the PJL-N to secure its support for Ahsan. However, it is unlikely to get any assistance from the PJL-N.

The PPP’S policy of not supporting PJL-N President Shahbaz Sharif in the contest for the prime minister has already annoyed the PJL-N, which is likely to field its own candidate for the presidential contest.

jeanwhile, the PJL-N has nominated its senior stalwart Raja Zafarul Haq as the opposition leader in the Senate.