The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday issued a schedule for presidential election and announced September 4 as the polling day. Incumbent President Mamnoon Hussain's five-year term is set to expire on September 9. According to the Constitution, the presidential election must be held at least one month prior to the expiry of the incumbent's term, which in this case would have been August 8. The presidential election cannot be held as per provisions of the Constitution due to non-existence of the electoral college for the polls.
The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly and four provincial assemblies. Voting is held through secret ballot. According to schedule for the presidential election, candidates can file their nomination papers with presiding officers in Islamabad and with each presiding officer in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta on August 27 by 12:00pm.
Scrutiny of nomination papers by returning officers will be done on August 29 at 10:00am and the candidates can withdraw their nominations by August 30 up to 12:00pm. The voting will take place on September 4 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Parliament House, Islamabad; provincial assembly building; Lahore, provincial assembly building, Karachi; provincial assembly building, Peshawar; and the provincial assembly building, Quetta.