Islamabad (Web Desk): The ruling coalition on Tuesday won the Senate elections with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) taking lead with 11 seats while Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) clinched 6 seats according to unofficial results.
The polling for the elections was held at National Assembly (NA) and provincial legislatures of Punjab and Sindh.
Elections were not held in Balochistan as Senators from the province were elected unopposed on 11 vacant seats last month.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after the opposition members filed a plea seeking postponement due to a stand-off with the provincial government over oath-taking of MPAs-elect on the reserved seats.
Islamabad
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Muhammad Ishaq Dar won on technocrat seat from the federal capital by securing 222 votes, while Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) Raja Ansar Mehmood was second with 81 votes.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Rana Mehmoodul Hassan emerged victorious on the general seat by receiving 224 while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) SIC-backed Farzand Hussain Shah bagged 79 votes.
Punjab
In Punjab, voting was held for two women and two technocrat seats and one minority seat.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Petroleum Minister Musadiq Malik were successful on the two technocrat seats, receiving 128 and 121 votes, respectively.
PML-N’s Anusha Rehman and Bushra Anjum were successful on two seats reserved for women, receiving 125 and 123 votes, respectively.
Sindh
In Sindh, the ruling PPP won 10 out of 12 Senate seats. Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) was successful in winning one seat and an independent candidate was also victorious on one seat.
As per preliminary results, on general seats, the winners include, PPP’s Ashraf Ali Jatoi (22 votes), Dost Ali Jessar (21 votes), Kazim Ali Shah (21 votes), Masroor Ahsan (21 votes), Nadeem Bhutto (21 votes).
MQM-P’s Amir Chishti (21 votes) and independent Faisal Vawda (21 votes) also won from a general seat. The PPP had decided to withdraw one of its candidates to support Vawda.
On the technocrat seats, PPP’s Zamir Ghumro (58 votes) and Sarmad Ali (57 votes) were successful.
Meanwhile, PPP’s Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani (57 votes) and Quratulain Marri (58 votes) won on two seats reserved for women.
PPP’s Poonjo Bheel (117 votes) was also successful on a minority seat.
The results of the Senate polls in Sindh Assembly were announced were announced by provincial election commissioner Sharif Ullah.
The polling for the Senate election stated the NA, Punjab, and Sindh assemblies at 8pm and concluded at 4pm on Tuesday.
Polling was held in the NA for the election of two senators.
Meanwhile, elections were held in Punjab on five seats including two women and technocrat seats each and one minority seat while, on 12 in Sindh including seven general seats, two women and technocrat seats each, and one minority seat.
Ballot papers in four different colors were printed for the Senate elections. White papers were used for general seats, green for technocrat seats, pink for women, and yellow for minority seats.
Returning officers have already issued the final list of the candidates contesting elections on 48 vacant seats of the Senate.
The elections were scheduled for 29 general seats, eight seats for women, nine seats for technocrats/Ulema, and two seats for non-Muslims.
According to the ECP, a total of 147 candidates submitted their nomination papers for these vacant seats.
The elections were held for 19 seats, which include one general and one technocrat seat from the federal capital, two women seats, two technocrat/Ulema seats, and one non-Muslim seat from Punjab.
In Sindh, polls were held for seven general, two women, two technocrat/Ulema, and one non-Muslim seat.
Earlier on March 30, 18 candidates were elected unopposed as senators for the 48 vacant seats of the Upper House of Parliament.
According to a final list of candidates issued by Returning Officers (ROs), out of 18 elected unopposed, seven were from Punjab’s general seats.
From Balochistan, senators for seven general seats, two women seats, and two Ulema/technocrat seats had won unopposed.
It is pertinent to mention that in the 96-member House, PPP’s seats have risen to 24, PML-N 19, while the PTI has 20 members in the Senate.
