Opposition launches new efforts to reach consensus on presidential candidate

Opposition parties, PML-N and PPP, are likely to hold a meeting later today to reach a consensus on their candidate for the presidential election.

According to sources, co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari is resolved to put across a strong case for the party’s nominee for opposition’s candidate for presidential election Aitzaz Ahsan.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) leader Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, who has been nominated for the election by all parties except the PPP, is likely to meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif, sources added.

In the meeting, JUI-F is likely to recommend Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Akram Khan Durrani as presidential candidates while PML-N is expected to nominate Khawaja Saad Rafique, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Rana Tanveer Hussain.

On the other hand, a PPP delegation campaigning for the presidential election reached Lahore earlier today. The delegation includes senior party members including former opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Aitzaz Ahsan, Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, and Qamar Zaman Kaira.

The delegation will hold meetings with PPP’s MNAs and leaders of other parties in Lahore. It will later meet political leaders in the federal capital.

The presidential election will be held on September 4. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has named Arif Alvi as its candidate, while PPP’s candidate is Aitzaz Ahsan. Five parties of the opposition have selected JUI-F leader Rehman as their candidate for the election.

A divide in the opposition has improved the probability of victory of PTI’s candidate.