By-election on Senate seat vacated by PTI leader: ECP says names of nominated candidates to be announced tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The nominations for by-election on a Senate seat that fell vacant due to the disqualification of Murad Saeed from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opened on Monday, to close today (Tuesday).

As per the by-election programme recently issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the names of the candidates nominated for the said by-election would be issued tomorrow (Wednes-day). The by-election is being held in the KP Assembly building on April 23 in Peshawar.

Earlier on March 25, the ECP notified that Saeed became disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Pakistan, and that he was de-notified pursuant to an order passed by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi earlier this month.

On March 7, the said ATC handed 10-year sentence to Saeed in a May 9 riots case.

The Article 63(1)(h) states that a person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as, and from being a member of the Parliament, if they are, on conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since their release.

Regarded as a trusted aide of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, Saeed was elected to the Senate on a general seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in July last year.

He is presently in hiding amidst reported life threats he faces from some powerful quarters. Although Saeed did not take oath as senator due to him being in hiding, he issued a reported letter from an undisclosed location announcing to quit the Senate in protest to what he said was denial of proper medical care to Khan, the ex-PM.

The resignation was not accepted by Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani reportedly because its authenticity was not verified.

In the recent months, 17 PTI-linked lawmakers including Saeed have been disqualified by the ECP following their convictions by the courts.

These lawmakers comprise eight National Assembly members, six Punjab Assembly members, and three senators.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026