Presidential face-off today: Zardari poised to return to President House

ISLAMABAD: Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) nominated presidential candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s demand to delay the presidential election in view of an ‘incomplete electoral college’ was rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) firmly decided to proceed with the scheduled presidential election on March 9, according to sources in the Commission. They confirmed that the election for the 14th president would take place on Saturday (today), according to the predetermined timetable.

Former president and head of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Asif Ali Zardari, the joint candidate of ruling coalition, and chief of PkMAP, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the candidate of PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council, would come face-to-face in the presidential election on Saturday (today).

Apparently, Zardari is in comfortable position in against Achakzai as far as the number game is concerned. The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies and voting is held through a secret ballot.

A joint session of the parliament would be held at the parliament house in Islamabad, in which members of the National Assembly and Senate would exercise their right to vote to elect the new president.

Similarly, the provincial assemblies would hold their sessions today for the presidential election, and the MPAs would cast their votes. The polling would begin at 10am and continue till 4pm.

Zardari has support of ruling coalition comprising PMLN, PPP, PMLQ, Isthekam-e-Pakistan Party, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and MQMP. On the basis of calculations, made by the PPP, Asif Zardari would get more than 400 votes.

In the meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari hosted a dinner at Sindh House Islamabad in honour of members of the Senate and National Assembly in connection with the presidential campaign. The event was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Zardari besides heads of parties of the ruling coalition, senators and MNAs. Shehbaz told the participants all coalition partners would elect Asif Zardari as president for the second time.

Asif Zardari thanked all coalition partners for their support in the presidential election. He said the country was facing many challenges and all parties should jointly face them.

The presidency has made all arrangements for the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected president, which would take place on Sunday, March 10 at 4PM. Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa would administer the oath to the newly-elected president.

Meanwhile, PPP leaders Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Khursheed Shah and Naveed Qamar held a meeting with chief of JUIF Maulana Fazlur Rehman to seek his support for President Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election.

However, according to sources, the PPP did not get positive response from Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Sources said earlier the PTI-backed SIC also held a meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman to seek his support for their candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai, but they also failed to get any positive response.

Earlier, Achakzai had written to the chief election commissioner (CEC), seeking delay or postponement of the presidential election. “Without completion of electoral college i.e. election on the reserved seats, issuance of election schedule or holding of election to the office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan would be illegal, unlawful and against the spirit of Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” he said in his letter on the eve of the presidential polls.

Achakzai, who is chairman of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), noted that the electoral college, prescribed by the law and the Constitution for the election of the President was still incomplete; some reserved seats in the National Assembly and all in the provincial assemblies were still vacant.

He explained that a petition had also been filed by the SIC before the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on account of reserved seats issue, and an injunctive order had been passed by the court, and the petitioner was hopeful for a clear verdict in favour of the SIC.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on Friday the PMLN would throw its support behind Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election.

Speaking alongside PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari at a joint parliamentary meeting of the PMLN and PPP held at Governor’s House Lahore, she criticised continuous violations of the Constitution by the President House during the past five years. She emphasised the need for a president who comprehends the intricacies of politics, pointing to Asif Zardari as a suitable person for the office. Maryam said the president should represent the entire federation, transcending political affiliations. Maryam said the joint agenda of the PMLN and the PPP was focused on steering the country out of current crises.

In his remarks, Bilawal expressed his support for his father’s candidature in the presidential election, highlighting the positive initiatives undertaken by the PMLN government, such as the ‘Nigehban Ramazan’ programme. He criticised a political party for promoting hatred and polarisation in the country, stressing the importance of discouraging such behaviour.

The joint parliamentary meeting was attended by members of the PMLN, PPP, PMLQ, and IPP.

Separately, two women members, elected on reserved seats – Samina Ghurki and Natasha Daultana, and as many minority members -- Neelum Kumari (PMLN) and James Iqbal (JUIF) – took oath as the MNAs on Friday.

Speaking on a point of order, Omar Ayub said oath taken on Friday by those who have been declared successful on reserved seats of women and minorities was unconstitutional. He said the oath taken by the members on Friday was a contempt of court, which had granted injunction against their notification. “The oath taken by them should be declared as null and void as the exercise carried out in the House today was unconstitutional,” he said. Omar Ayub, who belongs to the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), said they would continue their struggle and raise voice till they get their stolen seats.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said, according to existing strength of the SIC members in the National Assembly, which is 86, they should get eight reserved seats of women from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 12 from Punjab and three seats of minorities. Similarly, he said, they should also be given 21 women reserved seats in KP Assembly, 24 seats in Punjab Assembly and two women reserved seats in Sindh Assembly. He said the petition of the SIC, along with other petitions, was heard on February 28, decision was reserved on March 1, and announced on March 4.

According to the SIC parliamentarians, after decision of the Peshawar High Court, no member elected on women reserved seats and minorities seats could take oath.

Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP), when given the floor to respond, said jurisdiction of Peshawar High Court (PHC) restricted to KP province. He said no contempt of court was committed as women returned candidates on reserved seats from Punjab took oath on Friday and no women member from KP province was administered oath. “As far decision of the PHC is concerned, it solely applies to women seats allocated in KP province and does not apply to other provinces,” he said. He said the PHC decision also does not apply to minorities reserved seats.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said he did not receive any orders from the PHC. “Even if I receive any orders from the court, I should go by the book,” he said.

Earlier, in the Punjab Assembly session, members elected on reserved seats belonging to the PMLN and PPP took oath as the MPAs, while the Sunni Ittehad Council staged a protest, deeming their oath unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, the SIC’s presidential candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai Friday said the incumbent assemblies were incomplete; therefore, the presidential election should be postponed and a parliamentary panel should be formed for seeking a way out.

Talking to journalists outside the Parliament House, he emphasised that a committee should be formed consisting of senior leaders of all parties of the parliament, including Raza Rabbani, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Fazlur Rehman, and senior members of the PTI should be included in it. He sounded optimistic that the proposed committee could solve problems within seven days. He also said that the committee should also look into the issue of political prisoners to find a way out.

Achakzai said there were people in the parliament who could make decisions themselves. “Why should we wash our dirty clothes in courts. People sitting in the parliament can run Pakistan; may be they can do more than the presidential elections.” He said, “I believe that Nawaz Sharif’s heart will also say that give vote to Mahmood”.