ISLAMABAD, July 26: Controversy over the schedule of presidential election took a serious turn on Friday when the main opposition PPP announced that it was boycotting the election in protest against advancing the date of polling from Aug 6 to July 30.

The contest for the top constitutional post will now be between the ruling PML-N’s Mamnoon Hussain and retired Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

The PPP said it would play the role of genuine opposition.

The PML-N criticised the PPP’s decision and termed it against the spirit of democracy.

The election was originally scheduled for Aug 6 but the PML-N challenged it in the Supreme Court on the grounds that a large number of members of the national and provincial assemblies and Senate would find it difficult to cast their vote because some of them would be in Saudi Arabia to perform Umra and a number of others would be observing Aitekaf around that time.

The court in its first hearing on the petition ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to change the date and hold it on July 30.

PPP’s presidential candidate Raza Rabbani did not appear before the ECP for scrutiny of his nomination papers on Friday and as a result his papers were rejected by the commission.

The PPP announced the boycott at a press conference addressed by Raza Rabbani, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Amin Fahim and Aitzaz Ahsan.

“Today’s decision is part of our struggle against the military as well as civil dictatorship and to save democracy,” Mr Rabbani said, adding that president was a symbol of federation and if he contested as a symbol of one unit it would be a clear violation of the constitution.

He said that according to the revised schedule the scrutiny was to be held on July 26, leaving only two days for the candidates to travel across the country, from Peshawar to Lahore, Quetta and Karachi to seek support from the electorate. “Why would members of the provincial assemblies cast their vote without listening to the candidates,” he asked.

About the petitioner’s contention relating to Umra and Aitekaf, Mr Rabbani said the electoral college comprised 1,200 members of the National Assembly, Senate and provincial legislatures, but the date had been changed because 50 to 60 voters might observe Aitekaf. He warned the government that the boycott would not be the end, but the beginning of opposition. “We boycott the election only to save the federation.”

The PPP leader said petitioner Raja Zafarul Haq was just a voter and he had no right to challenge the poll schedule. “Whatever relief he demanded he got it.”

Amin Fahim said the PPP would not accept anyone elected as the next president. “If we don’t accept the process of election then how can we accept its product,” he asked.

Aitzaz Ahsan said it was illogical to advance the date of polling. The PPP will not move the Supreme Court for a review.

He criticised some of the decisions taken by the apex court and said: “When PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif appears before the Supreme Court a ‘memogate’ commission is formed the same day; when Khawaja Asif moves the apex court against appointments made during the caretaker set-up these are declared invalid the same day and two former NAB chairmen are removed on petitions of Chaudhry Nisar.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a statement that the PPP should have demonstrated sportsman’s spirit instead of boycotting the election. “Boycotting the election is against democratic norms.”

The prime minister praised the role of PTI and said: “The PTI’s decision is commendable which will strengthen democracy.” PML-N leader Senator Mushahidullah said the constitution could not be run on the whims of Raza Rabbani and Amin Fahim.

Awami National Party leader Haji Adeel said in a statement that his party would support the PPP’s decision and boycott the election.

Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Syed Munawar Hassan said the PPP’s decision would not make any ripple in the country’s politics.