Khurshid Shah claims no opposition reservations over Aitzaz candidacy

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah claimed on Sunday that the opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have no reservations over the name of Aitzaz Ahsan for the slot of president.

This he said while talking to the media men during his visit to the Bilour House here. He was accompanied by Aitzaz Ahsan, Naveed Qamar and Qamar Zaman Kaira. They remained there for some time and condoled over the death of Haroon Bilour.

The PPP has refused to retract the name of its nominee for the presidential election after the PML-N expressed reservation over Aitzaz Ahsan. Chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Sunday contacted PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and told him that PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari had refused to take back the name of Aitzaz Ahsan.

The PML-N, while suggesting the names of Yusuf Raza Gilani and Raza Rabbani, expressed reservations over Ahsan's nomination, saying the veteran PPP leader had a strong stance against the party.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has already named Arif Alvi as its candidate for the post. The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the schedule for the presidential election which will be held on September 4.