The ruling coalition, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), are eyeing to get a two-thirds majority in the Senate.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released the final list of candidates for the Senate elections.

Seven candidates were elected unopposed as senators on general seats of Punjab. Similarly, seven candidates were elected unopposed as senators on general seats and two on woman seats of Balochistan.

Former caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Pervaiz Rashid, State Minister Ahad Cheema, and Talal Chaudhry were among the candidates who were elected unopposed as senators.

From Islamabad, PML-N’s Ishaq Dar is contesting the election on a technocrat seat, PPP’s Rana Mehmoodul Hasan on the general seat, PTI-backed Ansar Mahmood on a technocrat seat, and Farzand Hussain Shah on a general seat.

From Sindh, there are 20 candidates contesting for 12 Senate seats. Six PPP candidates, one MQM’s and four independent candidates, three of them backed by PTI, are contesting for seven general seats.

Also, two PPP candidates and one independent are in the fray for two woman seats. Two PPP candidates and two independents are contesting for two technocrat seats. One PPP candidate and one independent are in the fray for one minority seat.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The opposition had requested the ECP to postpone the Senate elections.

Ahmed Karim Kundi of the opposition had submitted a petition requesting to postpone the elections to the provincial election commissioner.

The petition stated, “Our 25 members have not been sworn in yet, the election should be postponed.”

After approval from the chief election commissioner, the provincial election commissioner postponed the Senate elections in KP.

More to follow…