The ruling PML-N of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is poised to name former Sindh Governor Mamnoon Hussain as its candidate for Pakistan's presidential election on August 6.
Hussain emerged the strongest contender for the top office out of three candidates shortlisted by the PML-N after days of extensive consultations, party leaders said today.
Senior PML-N leader Tariq Azeem, a close aide of Sharif, told PTI that Hussain was the "likely" candidate of the ruling party though a formal decision about the nomination will be announced later by the leadership.
Hussain is an old loyalist of Sharif and remained with the PML-N during the regime of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who exiled Sharif to Saudi Arabia and created a new party by breaking the PML-N.
He served as Governor of southern Sindh province for a short period during June-October 1999 and lost the post after Musharraf led a military coup against Sharif.
Hussain belongs to Sindh and lives in Karachi, where he owns a textile business.
Tomorrow is the last day for submitting nominations for the election to choose a successor to President Asif Ali Zardari.
Zardari has announced he will not seek a second term and his Pakistan People's Party has nominated Raza Rabbani while Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf party has picked former judge Wajihuddin Ahmad as its candidate.
The PML-N is set to win the election in a triangular race but a joint opposition candidate may pose a threat to the ruling party's man.
Zardari's term will expire on September 8.
