ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N and Pakistan Muslim League-Q have started scrutinising applications of members seeking party tickets for 50 senate seats which will fall vacant in March.

On Friday, President Asif

Ali Zardari, who is also co-chairman of the PPP, presided over the first meeting of the party’s five-member selection board at the President House.

The board scrutinised applications from Islamabad, the NWFP and Fata.

According to party sources, applications from other provinces will be scrutinised over the next three days and candidates’ names would be announced on Monday.

Sources in the PML-N said party chief Nawaz Sharif had almost finalised the names of candidates but a formal announcement would be made later.

Some 75 aspirants have submitted their applications to PML-N central secretariat but there is a possibility that stalwarts like Raja Zafarul Haq, Iqbal Zafar Jharga, Sartaj Aziz and Rafiq Rajmand may get party tickets although they have not applied.

PML-Q leader Tariq Azim said his party had received over 100 applications and the first meeting of the selection board would be held in Lahore on Saturday.