Presidential elections kick off in Pakistan

Polling for presidential election kicked off Tuesday in Pakistan with three candidates competing for the slot of the 13th president of the country for the next five-year term.

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party fielded Arif Alvi, Pakistan Peoples Party chose Aitzaz Ahsan while joint opposition comprising of other political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has fielded Fazal-ur-Rehman to compete for the seat of the president.

Local analysts believed that the PTI’s candidate Alvi has fair chances to win as the party has the highest number of seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament, and also a majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, besides having a support of the ruling party in Balochistan province.

According to the constitution of Pakistan, members of the Senate, the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies will vote for the post.

Polling stations have been set up in all four provincial assemblies whereas lawmakers from the national assembly and Senate will poll votes in a joint session of parliament in Islamabad.

Incumbent President Mamnoon Hussain of the PML(N) party is eligible for re-election to a second five-year term, but declined.

His current term will end on Sept. 9.