PPP leads Senate elections

Friday, 02 March 2012 22:51

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) strengthened its position in the upper house Friday after regional lawmakers elected new senators, officials said.

Voting was held for 45 seats, with nine of those declared elected uncontested, in the indirectly-elected upper house of the federal parliament.

Officials said of the 36 seats declared so far, PPP won 11, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured eight and four went to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

The Awami National Party (ANP) got four while the remaining seats were shared by smaller regional and religious parties.

Complete results from the four provinces should be available late Friday while the official notification will be made next week.

Each of four provinces will have 23 seats in the 104-member next senate, with four going to Islamabad and eight for the tribal areas.

Some of the places are reserved for non-Muslim minorities, women, and Islamic scholars or technocrats.

Half the senate's current 100 members retire on March 12 after completing their six-year terms, and the four non-Muslim minority places are being chosen for the first time, in an expansion of the chamber.

PPP and its allies already held a majority and Friday's election will further improve its position in the upper house.

Parliamentary elections are due in 2013, but opposition parties have called for early polls, blaming the government of President Zardari for corruption, economic decay, and a severe energy crisis.