By Muhammad Najeeb
Islamabad, Sep 27 (IANS) Leaders of Pakistan’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Thursday submitted President Pervez Musharraf’s nomination papers for the presidential elections to Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Farooq.
“These are the historic moments when nomination papers of President (Musharraf) have been submitted in a transparent manner,” Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz – who led the PML-Q team to the Election Commission – told reporters after submitting the papers.
While the PML-Q leaders were submitting the nomination papers, a few yards away the Supreme Court resumed hearing of several petitions filed against Musharraf for keeping two offices – president and army chief – and his candidature for a second presidential term.
The court is expected to announce its decision by Friday evening. Musharraf has assured the court that he would quit the army chief’s office soon after his election as president.
Musharraf was the army chief when he took power in 1999 after overthrowing the elected government and later got himself elected president. One of his lawyers told the Supreme Court Wednesday that he would continue as army chief if not elected for a second term.
Political pundits fear that Musharraf may impose emergency or martial law in the country if his nomination papers are rejected or the apex court rules against his candidature.
Opposition leaders, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Tehrik-e-Insaaf president Imran Khan, are among the petitioners at the apex court.
All roads leading to the Constitution Avenue where the Election Commission (EC) offices are located were sealed. Many educational institutions in the national capital declared a holiday and students had to return home.
Reports from the capital’s adjacent city Rawalpindi said that since early Thursday morning no one was being allowed to enter Islamabad and heavy containers had been placed on all roads to block them.
Aziz told reporters that his party would ensure a big win for Musharraf. “We have the required numbers and we are confident that he would have smooth sailing,” the prime minister told reporters.
The lawyers’ community has fielded former Supreme Court judge Wajihuddin Ahmed to confront Musharraf in the presidential race. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of former premier Benazir Bhutto – who is negotiating with Musharraf on a possible power-sharing deal – has also announced that it would contest the presidential elections in Musharraf’s nomination is rejected.
“Our candidate Mukhdoom Amin Fahim will contest the elections if Musharraf’s nomination papers are rejected,” PPP spokesperson Farhatullah Babar told reporters.
According to initial reports, the PML-Q leaders Thursday submitted eight sets of nomination papers for Musharraf. All were signed by different proposers and seconders. An unconfirmed report said that on one of the nomination papers Musharraf has been named as “General (retired) Pervez Musharraf.”
“You will soon come to know how we have written the name,” Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told reporters after submitting the papers.
The prime minister was accompanied to the EC by PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, three provincial chief ministers, about 50 cabinet members and several PML-Q parliamentarians.