Pak poll body approves nominations of Musharraf, Amin Fahim and Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday rejected all objections of the opposition and lawyers and approved nomination papers of President Musharraf, Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Makhdoom Amin Fahim and the legal fraternitys candidate Justice (Retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed.

Islamabad, Sept.29 : The Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday rejected all objections of the opposition and lawyers and approved nomination papers of President Musharraf, Pakistan People's Party candidate Makhdoom Amin Fahim and the legal fraternity's candidate Justice (Retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed.

The nominations of Musharraf's covering candidates Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Muhammadmian Soomro were also approved, while the nominations of 38 candidates were rejected.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Qazi Farooque scrutinised the nomination papers of all presidential candidates.

President Musharraf's proposers and seconders Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Muhammad Yousuf, Chief Minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Minister of Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Mushahid Hussain and Shaikh Rashid were reached the Election Commission office this morning.

The proposer and seconder of Makhdoom Amin Fahim Senator Babar Awan and Raja Pervez Ashraf were also reached the election commission.

The approval of the five nominations came as police clashed with lawyers and political activists, some of whom were arrested in front of the Parliament Lodges and the Supreme Court.

The clashes and scuffles witnessed a pelting stones at each other and police also started baton charge and teargas shelling.

Police thrashed senior lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd and detained him. He was later released from detention.Muslim League (N) and MMA MNAs Rana Mehmood-ul-Hassan and Hanif Abbasi were also arrested outside of the Parliament Lodges.

Police also arrested women workers of Pakistan Peoples Party protesting in front of the Election Commission Secretariat.

The lawyers were participating in a "Black Day" demonstration to protest Friday's Supreme Court verdict permitting President General Pervez Musharraf to contest the October 6 presidential elections in uniform.

Musharraf, 64, has promised to quit his military role by November 15 if he is re-elected. But he had not ruled out dissolving Parliament or even imposing martial law if the court blocks his candidature.

According to media reports, six of the nine judges gave a favourable verdict, while the other three judges, Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan and Justice Shakirullah Jan differed.

The nine-member larger Bench hearing the identical constitutional petitions comprised of Justice Das, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Justice Khan, Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokar, Justice Falak Sher, Justice Jan and Justice M Javed Buttar.

ANI