ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday announced schedule for presidential election setting September 6, 2008 to elect new constitutional head of the country. Unveiling the schedule here at a press conference, Secretary ECP Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad said nomination papers for the office of the president could be submitted by August 26 by 1200 hours with the returning officers at Islamabad and with presiding officers at Karachi, Lahore, Peshawer and Quetta respectively. While scrutiny of nomination papers would be carried out on August 28 and the list of valid nominated candidates would be published at 1300 hours the same day, he said. Polling would be held simultaneously in Parliament House and four Provincial Assemblies from 1000 to 1500 hours on September 6. To discharge constitutional responsibility as Chief Election Commissioner, Justice (Retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq will hold and conduct election to the office of president of Pakistan as the returning officer. The Secretary said after announcement of the schedule, the Chief Election Commissioner, in capacity as returning officer, had nominated Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, as Presiding Officer at Punjab Assembly. Similarly, Acting Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Azizullah Memon, Acting Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court Justice Jehanzaib Rahim and Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Justice Amanullah would preside over the polling process at Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan Assemblies respectively. He said nomination papers for the election could be acquired from the ECP Secretariat, Islamabad, as well as at the offices of registrars of the High Courts of the province concerned and the Provincial Election Commissioners. The Office of the President had fallen vacant after resignation by former President Pervez Musharraf on August 18. Chairman Senate Mohammedmian Soomro at present is performing duties as an Acting President.