By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The Election Commission of Pakistan Saturday validated six candidates including President Pervez Musharraf as candidates for October 6 Presidential Election, finding their nomination papers in order.
“All the 17 nomination papers of Pervez Musharraf are in order and are accepted,” Chief Election Commissioner Justice ® Qazi Muhammad Farooq announced after hearing the objections from three opposition-backed candidates.
Lawyers for PPPP candidate Amin Fahim, MMA and lawyers-backed Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed and for Faryal Talpur raised numerous objections regarding Pervez Musharraf’s holding dual office, contesting election in uniform, not fulfilling promises made to nation and failure to fulfil certain articles of the Constitution.
Latif Khosa, Farooq Naik and Hamid Khan representing their respective candidates before the CEC pleaded that they had sufficient grounds to claim that President Musharraf did not qualify for the election for the office of president.
Representing President Musharraf, Wasim Sajjad pleaded that President was validated to hold dual office by the Supreme Court and the Parliament till November 15, 2007.
“And he has already announced to shed uniform soon after he is elected as President,” Wasim Sajjad reiterated.
He said in view of the Constitutional provisions and legislation by the Parliament on this matter, the arguments of the opposition lawyers carried no weight.
“The case is very clear when seen in view of the amendments in the Constitution and the legislation by the Parliament,” he argued.
The Chair after hearing arguments from all the sides accepted all the 17 nomination papers of President Pervez Musharraf and five other candidates.
The CEC also accepted five nominations for Chaudhry Amir Hussain, two for Muhammadmian Soomro and three each for Amin Fahim, Justice ® Wajihuddin and Faryal Talpur.