Former president Pervez Musharraf's premature departure has kicked off presidential race just 10 months after controversial October 2007 presidential elections in the country. The political parties have started naming their candidates for election of the President to be completed before September 17, 2008.
It is command of the Constitution that when the office of the President falls vacant, whatsoever may be reason, the new President should be elected in 30 days. The Senate, National Assembly, and four provincial assemblies are the Electorate College of the President.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, his father and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari have expressively claimed PPP's right to have its man in the Presidency for next five-year term. Muttahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) Quaid Altaf Hussain, in a statement from London, has recommended Asif Ali Zardari's name for the office of President of Pakistan and requested other political parties to support his candidature.
However, according to sources, the PPP is also considering names of NA Speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza, Zardari's sister Faryal Talpur, Aftab Shaban Mirani for the most prestigious office of the country. Federal Minister and PPP Secretary General Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Wednesday, though it was right of the PPP to put forward its candidate, it would consult other coalition partners to take a final decision.
Justifying his party's claim to the office of the President, Raja Ashraf said the PPP is the majority party in the federal government, two provincial governments, and coalition partner in other two provinces.
Meanwhile, the other key coalition partner, Pakistan Muslim League (N) has suggested that the next President should be elected from the small provinces. The party has nominated former chief justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, former governor and Supreme Court Judge Fakharuddin G. Ibrahim from Sindh and Sardar Attaullah Mengal from Balochistan as suitable candidates for the office of the President.
Pakistan Muslim League (Q) which appears to be recouping after devastating setback of their mentor Pervez Musharraf's resignation also announced on Wednesday that it would put up its own candidates for the election of the President.
The PML(Q) has about 96 votes in the Parliament, and solid representations in provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, and Balochistan. However, it is going through internal disintegration process. Jamaat-i-Islami, which did not take part in the general elections along with the other APDM components, has nominated former SC judge Wajihuddin Ahmad as its candidate for the presidential race.
In an interview, JI Secretary General Munnawar said that JI would ask the PML(N) to support Justice Wajih's candidature, who has the stature to be a symbol of national unity. Justice Wajihuddin Ahmad, who was a candidate in the previous presidential election, had challenged Musharrraf's candidature in the Supreme Court, which the latter dismissed on November 3, 2007.
Political analysts say that PPP, PML(N), ANP, JUI(F) are committed to restoring the 1973 Constitution under which the office of the President is more of a ceremonial nature and power of the executive rests with the prime minister. They said that coalition parties are preparing a package of constitutional amendments to strip of most of the President's powers, which Musharraf had invested in himself during his eight years dictatorial rule through the legal framework order, 17th Amendment to the Constitution and oher ordinances.
They said that president's discretionary powers likely to be struck down by the Parliament include, Article 58-2(b) (power to dismiss the government and the parliament), appointment of the chiefs of armed forces, chief justice and judges of the superior courts, chief election commissioner, etc.
They said that restoration of the sacked judges, election of the new President and the constitutional amendment package are the vital issues the coalition partners are grappling with after removal of Pervez Musharraf's removal from the scene.