ISLAMABAD: The PPP, the PML-N and the PML-Q on Tuesday filed with the election commission nomination papers of their respective presidential candidates — Asif Ali Zardari, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.

MNA Faryal Talpur is the PPP’s covering candidate for Zardari. She is the party co-chairman’s sister. Former top bureaucrat Roedad Khan will be the PML-N’s covering candidate for Siddiqui. The PML-Q has not filed papers for a covering candidate for Mushahid.

The PML-N and the PML-Q candidates personally appeared before Presiding Officer Justice (retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq. However, Asif Ali Zardari preferred to stay away. Besides, Khurshid Shah, Sherry Rehman and Raja Pervez Ashraf, Ahmed Mukhtar, Mian Raza Rabbani, Babar Awan, Manzoor Wattoo, MQM’s Dr Farooq Sattar and Asfandyar Wali of ANP were also present on the occasion.

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and others accompanied the smiling former chief justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan. PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi were prominent among those who accompanied Mushahid Hussain Sayed.

Several workers of the three main parties were also present on the occasion to make the environment lively with their sloganeering. The election commission had given 12:00 noon as deadline for the filing of nomination papers at the ECP secretariat and at its four provincial offices as well as at high courts chief justices’ offices, whereas the final list of candidates would be released on Aug 30.

Polling for the presidential election will be held at the parliament house and in the four provincial assemblies from 10am to 3pm on Sept 6. Talking to the media, Information Minister Sherry Rehman said the PPP had developed a political relationship with its allied partners.

“We are hopeful that our former allies will be back with us, as we want political stability in the country and serve the masses,” the minister emphasised. To a question whether deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry would also be restored, Law Minister Farooq H Naek reiterated his party’s commitment to restoring the deposed judges without any discrimination.

He again gave no specific date as to exactly when the superior court judges would be reinstated. “Judges will be restored according to the law and the Constitution. Asif Ali Zardari has never talked about discrimination in the restoration of judges,” the minister maintained amid reports the PPP co-chairman had offered minus-one formula to the PML-N. Former chief justice Siddiqui in his brief talk with the media expressed his resolve to restore the judiciary, if he got elected as head of the state.

As many as 31 candidates filed nomination papers throughout the country. An interesting situation developed at the election commission secretariat when an unknown candidate shied away from the media after he was asked to introduce himself following his submission of the papers.

PML-Q’s Mushahid Hussain Sayed dared Zardari to appear before the media and explain what vision or agenda he had for the country’s future. The PML-Q secretary-general called upon the legislators to support him. Mushahid pointed out that it was for the first time that he, with a journalistic background, was in the field for the presidential race.

Our correspondent adds from Peshawar: Two people from NWFP on Tuesday filed nomination papers for the presidential slot. The two aspirants were Muneer Ahmad Shirazi from Peshawar and Sardar Muhammad Rafiq from Swabi.

Agencies adds: Five independent candidates, who also filed papers, include Mehr Muhammad Ramazan, Manzoor Ahmed Bhatti, Rao Javed Ali Khan, Ms Kasam Saba and Wahid Kamal. Fourteen aspirants on Tuesday filed their nomination papers to contest the presidential election in Lahore.

Officials of the provincial election commission (Punjab) received the papers from the candidates at the Lahore High Court registrar office. Those who filed their nomination papers are Mirza Tahir Baig, Mian Arif Iqbal, Moazzam Gill, Chaudhry Gulzar, Mohammad Shahbaz Khan, Abdul Rehman Chisti, Prof Abdul Latif, MP Khan, Nawab Dr Amber Shahzada, Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Hanif, Rana Muhammad Aleem, Dr Zahoor Mehdi and Amin Hafiz.

Scrutiny of the nomination papers would be conducted on Thursday August 28 at the election commission secretariat by the returning officer Justice (eetd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq. Talking to the media outside the election commission office, MQM deputy convener Farooq Sattar said his party has supported PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s candidature for office of the president unconditionally.

Farooq Sattar said the MQM has supported Zardari just for the cause of democracy and wanted same backing from its former government ally the PML-Q. “A decision on our participation in the ruling coalition is up to the discretion of the allies,” he added.

The MQM leader said the political and economic stability should be major priority of all democratic forces as the country was passing through defining circumstances. “MQM chief Altaf Hussain has also appealed to our old ally Mian Nawaz Sharif to review his decision,” Farooq Sattar said.