KARACHI, Sept 24: Former Supreme Court judge Wajihuddin Ahmad on Monday declared his candidacy for the post of president, saying that while he has no illusions about winning the Oct 6 polls, he wants pro-democracy lawyers to win their first battle in what will be a long-drawn war against dictatorship.

“We can win elections and we can lose elections. In fact, we will probably lose them. But what is more important is the cause of the people of Pakistan,” said Mr Ahmad.

Mr Ahmad’s long and distinguished career in the legal profession saw him serve as federal government standing counsel, advocate-general and chief justice of the Sindh High Court.

Mr Ahmad told Dawn that he was not in touch with opposition political parties determined to block re-election of President Musharraf on Oct 6.

When asked what his chances would be if the opposition parties actually carried out their threat of resigning from the assemblies on Sept 29, Mr Ahmad smiled faintly and said: “I don’t think my position will be any worse. Look, it’s not about winning or losing the election. Lawyers don’t want Gen Musharraf to win the presidential poll uncontested.”

However, he added that if the slumbering conscience of the parliamentarians of the ruling alliance awoke, he might have only an outside chance of winning.

“I have won elections to various professional bodies. This will be the first election I will lose. I almost pleaded with my lawyer friends not to force me to contest the election. And it was only at the time of sehri today that I decided that I would be a candidate against the military general in the Oct 6 poll.”

Reluctant to comment on the kind of ruling likely to be delivered by the Supreme Court on the petitions challenging the president’s dual offices, Mr Ahmad said: “To my mind, they will not give a ruling with far-reaching consequences. They are likely to defer the issue till such time in the future when the election of the president is challenged.”