Imran nominates Arif Alvi for President

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday nominated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader from Karachi, Dr Arif Alvi, as nominee for the post of President of Pakistan.The "Chairman Tehreek-e-Insaf has given his assent (for Dr Arif Alvi)," the statement from the PTI media cell said. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has announced schedule for the election of the next president for September 4. President Mamnoon Hussain ends his five-year term on Sept 9.

Asim Yasin adds: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided to pitch seasoned politician and senior party leader Aitzaz Ahsan as candidate for the post of President of Pakistan in the upcoming elections against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Dr Arif Alvi.

According to sources, former president and the PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, contacted the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday for soliciting his support for the PPP’s nominee. The Maulana sought time to discuss the issue with his party before making any decision. It appears to be a smooth sailing for the PTI in the presidential election if the main opposition parties -- PML-N, PPP and MMA -- fail to bring a joint candidate.

Sources said Zardari is expected to assign the task of contacting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to former prime ministers Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Khursheed Shah, Sherry Rehman and Qamar Zaman Kaira to get support for the presidential election. Aitzaz Ahsan twice served as opposition leader in the Senate from 1996 to 1999 and from 2013 to 2018 as well as leader of the House in the Senate and MNA from 1988-2007.