PPP leaders back Aitzaz Ahsan’s candidacy for presidential election

ISLAMABAD: Top PPP leadership has rejected a demand from opposition parties to withdraw Senator Aitzaz Ahsan for the presidential election race, Geo reported.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari chaired a party meeting on Tuesday to discuss the request made by JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman to withdraw Ahsan’s name in his support.

Quoting sources Geo said the meeting has reviewed possible repercussions and political gains of supporting Maulana Fazl as a consensus candidate.

According to sources, the PPP members have opposed Ahsan's withdrawal from the race. “The JUI-F leader was a respected figure but the party could not compromise its principled politics,” it said.

Sources add that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was also backing Aitzaz Ahsan as their final candidate.

A day earlier, the JUI-F chief, who has submitted his nomination papers for the presidential election to be held on September 4 after being fielded as the nominee of all opposition parties except PPP, called on the former president and sought cooperation.