30th July, 2013 is indeed going to be an important day in the history of Pakistan. PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) nominee Justice (Rtd) Wajihuddin Ahmed is contesting election for the Presidential spot against PMLN’s Mamnoon Hussain. It is highly expected that Mr. Mamnoon win this election with the PMLN successfully winning over their all time foe MQM.
In the constitution of Pakistan, the President is a ceremonial head of the state and civilian commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country. This is why it becomes very important that who should be the President of the country. The President has to then represent the country to the world. In tomorrow’s Presidential election, we have Justice (Rtd) Wajihuddin competing against Mr. Mamnoon Hussain for the office of the President. It becomes very important that we know our future President. Today we briefly discuss both of the personalities.
Mr. Mamnoon Hussain, let’s talk about him first as he is the most unknown of the two, is a textile businessman based in Karachi. He was born in 1940 at Indian City, Agra. During Nawaz government in 1999, he served as the 27th Governor General of Sindh Province. However, his Governorship was cut short by a successful coup d’état of General Pervez Musharraf. Academically, he holds an MBA from the prestigious Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi and has also done a Darse Nizami course. He has actively been a member of PMLN since 1993. Now, his Presidential nomination by the ruling PMLN, with the unexpected back of MQM, has placed him in a most probable place to become the next President of Pakistan.
Justice (Rtd) Wajihuddin Ahmed is a well known name in Pakistan. He is a retired senior judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Before serving in the Supreme court, he briefly served as the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court. In 1999 while serving in the Supreme court, when General Musharraf imposed Martial Law, he refused to take oath under Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) and resigned. Since then, he remained a critic of the Pervez Musharraf. In 2007, he took a leading role in the lawyers movement. From 2011, he is associated with Tehreek-e-Insaf and playing an active role in national politics. He in short, is known in Pakistan as a man of justice and integrity.
The odds are highly in favour of Mr. Mamoon Hussain to become the next President of Pakistan. PMLN has numerical strength and also in an unexpected move went ahead and patched up with MQM to secure their votes aswell. However, PTI’s decision to take part in the Presidential election despite their reservations is highly appreciable. A decision in favour of democracy. Otherwise if PTI too had boycotted the elections like PPP, it would have been a huge blow to democracy and would have been construed as helping PMLN in a Muk Muka fashion.
In short, no matter who wins this Presidential election, it is the democratic process of Pakistan that will be the real winner.