ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday approved the nominations of Mamnoon Hussain, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed for the coming presidential election.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, 33 nomination papers had been filed by 24 candidates throughout the country — 18 in Islamabad, seven each in Karachi and Lahore and one in Peshawar. No paper was filed in Quetta.

Both Mamnoon and Jhagra are the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz's candidates — with Jhagra as the party's cover candidate who may eventually withdraw his nomination — whereas Justice (retd) Wajihuddin is being backed by the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI).

The commission rejected the nominations of Syed Iqtidar Haider, Ajeet Khan, Aijaz Ahmed Dakhi, Kamal Ahmed, Mohammad Shakir and Imam Ali Brohi.

The ECP has reportedly concluded the process of scrutiny of nomination papers of all candidates except for that of Pakistan Peoples Party's Senator Raza Rabbani whose party today announced its boycott of the presidential polls.

Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim has said that the ECP would continue the process of scrutiny until 3 pm today and nomination papers of any candidate who fails to appear before the commission until that time would be rejected.

The presidential poll is set to take place on July 30 instead of the original scheduled date of Aug 6 following an order of the Supreme Court. The court had issued the order following a petition filed by the federal government seeking a change in the schedule.

Under the new schedule, candidates can withdraw their nominations up to 12 noon on July 27. The final list of candidates would be published at 5pm on July 27 following which the polling would be held on July 30.

According to Article 41(3) of the Constitution, the president will be chosen for five years by the electoral college of 706 lawmakers, including 104 senators and 342 members of the National Assembly and 260 of the provincial assemblies. By-elections for about 50 seats of national and provincial assemblies are scheduled for August 22.