ISLAMABAD, Aug 28: The Election Commission on Thursday accepted the nomination papers of three main candidates for the president’s post — Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui of PML-N and Mushahid Hussain Sayed of PML-Q.

The nomination papers of the covering candidates of the PPP and the PML-N, Faryal Talpur and Roedad Khan, were also found valid during scrutiny conducted by Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq who is the Returning Officer for the polls to be held on Sept 6.

The commission’s secretary, Kanwar Dilshad, told Dawn that 68 nomination papers filed by 33 candidates had been scrutinised. He said the papers of the five candidates were found valid and the rest were rejected because they did not bear signatures of ‘proposers’ and ‘seconders’ as required by the rules.

When asked how had the contenders’ number increased after the commission’s announcement that 67 nomination papers from 32 candidates had been received on Aug 26, he said the papers of one candidate had later been received by post.

The chief election commissioner expressed displeasure over what he called non-serious attitude of some candidates who had filed incomplete papers. “Let us put some fee in future to make them realise that the time of the Election Commission should not be wasted like this,” he said while going through the papers of a candidate.

After disposing of papers of the ‘casual’ candidates, the CEC invited the major parties to the scrutiny. Senator Waseem Sajjad from the Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Law Minister Farooq H. Naek and Senator Babar Awan from the PPP raised no objection to the papers of their rivals.

As the Pakistan Muslim League-N candidate and his nominees were late, Mr Naek and Mr Sajjad said: “Our parties have no objection to Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui’s nomination papers. We know him and respect him. Let us honour him by accepting his nomination papers in his absence.” But the CEC said he would like to wait for him.

When Mr Siddiqui arrived, the CEC announced that all nomination papers of the five candidates filed in Islamabad and other stations were in order.

PML-N leader Naseer Bhutta recorded a note expressing respect and regard for the candidates and the Election Commission.

Mr Siddiqui praised the conduct of the political parties during the scrutiny.

The law minister said: “The candidates had to fulfil provisions of Articles 41 and 62 of the Constitution and there was no question of an objection.”

Saturday is the last day for withdrawal of papers.