ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has refused to alter the date of the coming presidential election with Secretary ECP Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan saying polling to elect the country's new president would take place on August 6.
Ahmed said election for the president would be held in accordance with the schedule announced by the election commission on July 16.
Soon after the schedule’s announcement, the government had sought a change in the schedule on account of the notion that several members of Parliament and provincial assemblies would be in Saudi Arabia to perform Umra and some of them may be observing Aitekaf.
The commission started issuing nomination forms for the election soon after the schedule’s announcement. These can be submitted by July 24 and would subsequently be scrutinised on July 26.
From the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz, the names of Sartaj Aziz, a veteran Muslim Leaguer and current advisor to the premier on foreign affairs and national security, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, a former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and PML-N leader and former Sindh governor Mamnoon Hussain have been put forward as possible candidates for the post of president. Whereas, the Pakistan Peoples Party is nominating Raza Rabbani, a PPP leader and Senator, as its candidate.