The Election Commission of Pakistan Saturday approved nomination papers of six candidates including President Musharraf, while the nominations of 37 candidates were rejected.

The lawyers have said they will challenge approval of Musharraf’s candidacy in court.

The Election Commission held scrutiny of the nomination papers of presidential candidates in Islamabad.

The Election Commission approved nomination papers of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed, President Musharraf, his covering candidates Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Muhammadmian Soomro and Amin Fahim’s covering candidate Faryal Talpur.

Total 18 nomination papers were submitted for President Musharraf, one in Lahore and 17 in Islamabad. The nomination papers filed in Lahore were rejected. The rival candidates objected over the nomination papers of President Musharraf but the Chief Election Commissioner rejecting all objections approved nomination of Musharraf and declared that he can contest the presidential election.

Earlier, proposers and seconders of candidates reached the election commission office in the morning. The proposers and seconders of Justice Wajihuddin were reached in the election commission office along with Hamid Khan Advocate and Justice (R) Tariq Mehmood. The proposer and seconder of Makhdoom Amin Fahim Senator Anwar Baig and Raja Pervez Ashraf were also reached the election commission.

President Musharraf’s proposers and seconders Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Chaudhry Shujaat, Mushahid Hussain, Muhammad Ali Durrani, Tariq Azeem, Aftab Sherpao and other ministers and members of the parliament were also present in the election commission.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Qazi Farooque called the presidential candidates and held scrutiny of the nomination papers before them.

The nomination papers of following presidential candidates were rejected:

Maulana Ayaz, Maj. (R ) Ramazan, Shaukat Hussain, Rao Javed, Shaukat Hussain, Rao Javed, Iqtidar Hyder, Khurshid Anwar, Fazlur Rahman, Ashfaq Chaudhry, Hafeez-ur-Rahman, Zahid Iqbal, Ambar Shahzad, Dr. Zahoor, Shahzad Khan, Aitbar Khan and Sardar Rafique.

Meanwhile, the lawyers have announced to challenge Musharraf’s candidacy in courts.-[News via GeoTv]

Updated: Violent mob beats Federal State Minister, Tariq Azeem

Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz was stopped by the security officials from leaving the Election Commission office, as the situation outside further deteriorated, when the Federal State Minister, Tariq Azeem was mobbed by the violent crowd and subjected him to severe torture.

Earlier, the newsmen outside the Election Commission office were violently tackled and subjected to shelling, which further deteriorated the situation.

Later when the Punjab chief minister’s limousine came out from the Election Commission office, the journalist rushed to stop his vehicle for recording their protests against the police targeting them, but his driver speeding the car ran over the toes of a journalist, which once again infuriated the newsmen.

Thereafter, when the Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz’s car started coming out of the building an explosion occurred and the security officials signaling his car to stop got the prime minister alighted from the car and hurriedly took him back inside the Election Commission office.

After some time, when the Minister of State, Tariq Azeem came out of the Election Commission office, he was surrounded by the enraged journalists and thrashed. The security officials rescuing him from the violent crowd packed him up in a pickup and sent him away from the scene.

On the other hand, the journalists have announced boycotting the prime minister’s Iftar party scheduled today.

Updated: Clashes and Protests

The Election Commission is carrying out scrutiny of nomination papers filed by presidential candidates today.

The lawyers and political workers are protesting in Islamabad, while several lawyers have been injured in clashes with police.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Qazi Farooque holding scrutiny of the nomination papers of the presidential candidates. Initially nominations of 15 candidates including Maulana Ayaz, Maj. (R ) Ramazan, Shaukat Hussain and Rao Javed have been rejected.

The proposers and seconders of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Justice (R) Wajihuddin and Makhdoom Amin Fahim were reached the Election Commission.

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 have also reached the election commission.

Meanwhile, clashes and scuffles between the lawyers and police erupted when the police started arrests of the lawyers and political workers gathered before Supreme Court building and the Parliament Lodges. They pelted stones at each other and police also started baton charge and teargas shelling against protesting lawyers.

According to reports police have detained senior lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd after beating him and he was said to be transferred to some unknown place. Muslim League (N) and MMA MNAs Rana Mehmood-ul-Hassan and Hanif Abbasi have also been arrested before the Parliament Lodges.

Police have also arrested women workers of Pakistan Peoples Party protesting in front of the Election Commission Secretariat.- [News via GeoTv]

Please share your views…