Islamabad, March 9 -- Several parties, like Maulana Fazlur Rehman's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and Jamaat-e-Islami, are not participating in the election of Pakistan's 14th president, with polling underway in the national and provincial assemblies as well as the Senate, ARY News reported.

Two prominent candidates, Asif Ali Zardari, the joint nominee of PPP and PML-N, and Mahmood Khan Achakzai from the Sunni Ittehad Council, are the contenders for the presidential office. The current ruling coalition, comprising PML-N, PPP, and MQM-P, has thrown its support behind Asif Ali Zardari.

The president is chosen by an electoral college consisting of members from the Senate, the National Assembly, and the four provincial assemblies. A joint sess...