Pakistani Presidential Election, 2008 - Candidates

Candidates

Nominations closed on Tuesday 26 August.

  • On 18 August the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairmen, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari, said that the next president should come from the PPP as they had the largest number of seats in parliament.
  • On 19 August the ruling coalition discussed the presidency and was reported to have considered five candidates:
    • Asif Ali Zardari PPP co-chairman
    • Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pakhtun-khwa Milli Awami Party
    • Aftab Shaban Mirani, former PPP Chief Minister of Sindh
    • Fehmida Mirza, PPP speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan from Sindh
    • Faryal Talpur, PPP Nazim (mayor) of a city Sindh and sister of Asif Ali Zardari
  • On 20 August the opposition Muttahida Qaumi Movement – which backed Musharraf – said the President should not come from Punjab and backed Pakistan Peoples Party leader Asif Ali Zardari – who is from Sindh – for president.
  • On 21 August the Pakistan Muslim League (N) was reported to have suggested three people for the presidency:
    • Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, a lawyer
    • Ataullah Mengal, a nationalist leader from Baluchistan, and
    • Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
  • On 22 August, the PPP officially nominated Zardari as its candidate.
  • On 23 August, the PML(N) said it preferred an independent president. However, PML(N) head Sharif said he would support Zardari if they agreed to reduce the powers of the Presidency and reinstate the judges sacked after the 2007 Pakistani state of emergency
  • On 24 August the Awami National Party said it would support Zardari.
  • On 25 August:
    • The PML-N pulled out of the coalition government and said it would support Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui for the presidency.
    • Imran Khan, the former cricketer and leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party said Zardari should not become president as he was "such a corrupt man".
    • The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl party said it would support Zardari if the government agreed to end the military operation in Bajaur.
    • The Pakistan Muslim League (F) said it would neither support nor oppose Zardari.
    • The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance said it supported Zardari.
  • On 26 August the PML(Q) nominated Senator Mushahid Hussain as its candidate.
  • On 28 August the Election Commission of Pakistan announced that five people had been validly nominated as candidates:
    • Asif Ali Zardari, PPP
    • Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, supported by the PML-N
    • Mushahid Hussain, PML-Q
    • Faryal Talpur, covering candidate for Zardari
    • Roedad Khan, covering candidate for Siddiqui
  • On 30 August, Talpur and Roedad withdrew their candidacies.
  • On 31 August the Pakistan Peoples Party (Sherpao) declared its support for Zardari.

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