The ruling Pakistan People's Party on Tuesday filed nomination papers for its chief Asif Ali Zardari for the September 6 presidential polls, saying it had enough support to ensure his victory despite Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's decision to pull out of the government and field its own candidate.
PML-N leaders filed nomination papers for Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui. PML-Q candidate Mushahid Hussain Sayed filed the nomination papers accompanied by his party leaders.
Senior PPP leaders and Federal Ministers Sherry Rehman and Khurshid Shah went to the Election Commission with leaders of the Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, both partners in the ruling coalition, and the opposition Muttahida Qaumi Movement and filed nomination papers for Zardari with Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq.
Information Minister Sherry Rehman said the PPP has a "comfortable number of votes" to ensure Zardari's victory despite the PML-N's decision to leave the coalition.
The PPP had been saddened by the PML-N's move, but it would make every effort to take along all political forces to promote the culture of reconciliation, she said.
"We believe that Zardari is the right candidate for this office because he truly represents the unity of the federation," said PPP leader and Law Minister Farooq Naek.
The presidential polls are going to be a three-way contest, with Zardari being pitted against former Supreme Court chief justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, who is being backed by the PML-N, and opposition PML-Q secretary general Mushahid Hussain Sayed.
Fourteen sets of nomination papers were filed for Zardari by leaders of the PPP, ANP, Jamiat and MQM.
Dissident PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and JUI leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman endorsed Zardari's nomination.
Nomination papers were also filed on behalf of Zardari's sister Faryal Talpur, who will be his covering candidate.
Senior PML-N leaders filed nomination papers on behalf of former Siddiqui, who was on Monday named as the party's candidate by its chief Nawaz Sharif after he pulled out of the PPP-led coalition.
Sharif said he had decided to leave the alliance because Zardari had reneged on several agreements to reinstate the dozens of judges who were deposed by former president Pervez Musharraf.
Sharif also accused Zardari of violating an agreement that said the PPP would nominate a candidate for presidency only if the post was stripped of powers to dismiss Parliament.
Siddiqui said if he was successful in the polls, his first act would be to restore the deposed judges.
"An independent judiciary forms the backbone of a truly democratic set-up. Nawaz Sharif has done more than anyone else for an independent judiciary," he told reporters.
PML-Q candidate Mushahid Hussain Sayed was accompanied by the party's senior leaders, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, when he went to the Election Commission to file his nominations.