Mamnoon Hussain (3rd R), presidential candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, smiles as he submits his nomination papers for the upcoming presidential election at the High Court in Islamabad, July 24, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

The Pakistani Supreme Court decided Wednesday to hold the Presidential Election on July 30, one week earlier than planned. The decision was made to avoid a conflict with a planned pilgrimage on August 6 on the occasion of Ramadan, the Muslim haymonth. Under the Pakistani constitution, the President is elected by the Parliament and the councils of 4 provinces. Mamnoon Hussain, a candidate of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League N (PMLN) is expected to win the election. If that happens, he would succeed President Asif Ali Zardari. Hussain declared his candidacy on July 24, along with Raza Rabbani, a senator with the Pakistan People's Party. Incumbent President Zardari was elected in 2008 and will finish his term of office on September 8. Zardari decided not to seek a second term. According to Pakistani law, a presidential election must be conducted 30 days before the incumbent president leaves office.