ISLAMABAD: As many as 100 candidates’ submitted nominations, till Sunday, for Senate elections being held on March 3 as today (Monday) is the last date for filing nominations for the polls of the Upper House of the Parliament.
According to the data issued by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), six nominations were for filed for two seats of Islamabad; three for general and three for women.
Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) were the prominent lawmakers who filed nominations on General seats from Islamabad.
In Punjab, 17 nominations were filed; 13 on General seats, two on Women seats and two on technocrats/Ulema seats.
In Sindh, 22 nominations were filed; 11 on general seats, five on women seats and six on technocrats/Ulema seats.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 30 nominations were filed; 14 on General seats, seven on Women seats, six on technocrats/Ulema seats and three on non-Muslims seat.
In Balochistan, 25 nominations were filed; 10 on General seats, six on Women seats, four on technocrats/Ulema and five on non-Muslims seat.
Earlier on Saturday, ECP revised Senate elections’ schedule and extended till February 15 the date for submission of nomination papers for the polls.
The decision was taken to “facilitate the aspiring candidates” in exercise of powers under Article 218 (3) read with section 128 of the Elections Act 2017, the Commission said on Saturday. Some 52 senators are retiring but elections would be held on 48 seats and four Senate seats would stand abolished with effect from upcoming Senate polls. Following FATA’s merger into KP, four erstwhile FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) seats would be abolished in upcoming elections following the retirement of the four senators while as many seats would be abolished in Senate elections scheduled in 2024 following the scheduled retirement of the remaining four senators elected on erstwhile FATA seats. Senate polls would be held on 12 seats each of KP and Balochistan, 11 seats each of Punjab and Sindh and two seats of Islamabad.
In each province, the elections would be held on seven General seats, two Women seats and two technocrats/Ulema seats. In KP and Balochistan, elections would be held on one seat each for non-Muslims. Elections on the remaining two non-Muslims seats; one each of Punjab and Sindh, are scheduled in 2024. In 104-seat Senate, each province has 23 seats—14 general seats, four Women seats, four Technocrats/Ulema seats and one Non-Muslim seat. Erstwhile FATA has eight general seats and Islamabad has four seats—two general and two women.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.