MUZAFFARABAD, July 26: The ruling Muslim Conference (MC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday fielded Raja Zulqarnain Khan as its candidate for the presidential election, dropping former prime minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat’s name for the post.

The MC lawmakers, including Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, submitted 13 nomination papers of Mr Khan before Chief Election Commissioner Justice Reaz Akhtar Chaudhry, the returning officer for the election scheduled for Thursday (today) in the AJK Legislative Assembly.

People’s Party Azad Jammu Kashmir (PPAJK) lawmakers filed nomination papers of Sardar Qamaruz Zaman, who was proposed by party president Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and seconded by leader of the opposition in AJK Assembly Mohammad Ishaq Zaffar.

Earlier, the PPAJK had announced that its ally Sardar Khalid Ibrahim, president of the Jammu Kashmir People’s Party, would be its candidate.

But Mr Ibrahim announced on Tuesday that he would not contest the election as a mark of protest against ‘rigging’ in the recently held general elections for the AJK assembly.

Mr Ibrahim is among five MLAs-elect who have not taken oath in protest against alleged interference by the federal government in the July 11 polls. The remaining four belong to the Jammu Kashmir People’s Muslim League, including its convener Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry.