• PPP wins 11, PML-N bags six, MQM-P gets one seat; Vawda becomes ‘independent’ senator
• Elections to 11 KP seats not held; PTI rejects ECP decision on ‘incomplete electoral college’

ISLAMABAD: After the Election Commission of Pa­k­is­tan (ECP) delayed polling for Senate elections in PTI-ruled Khyber Pakh­t­u­nkhwa following a continuing controversy over the oath-taking of opp­osi­t­ion lawmakers on rese­rved seats, the ruling coalition clinched 19 seats in the upper house on Tuesday.

Following the election, the total strength of the upper house has increased from 66 to 85, with 59 seats going to the ruling coalition, led by PML-N. The clean sweep puts the ruling alliance in a comfortable position to get any legislation passed from both houses of parliament.

Likewise, the PPP with its 24 senators now forms one-fourth of the total strength in the house, but this hold will not remain for long, as elections on KP’s 11 seats are yet to be held.

At present, the PTI has 20 members in the Senate, followed by the PML-N with 19 lawmakers. Baloc­h­istan Awami Party has four members in the upper house while the MQM-P and Awami National Party have three members each. Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), Balochistan National Party (BNP-M), and National Party have one member each.

In addition to political parties, there are four independents in the upper house as well, and all of them belong to the ruling coalition. They include ex-caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Faisal Vawda, and Naseema Ehsan.

Polling in Islamabad

In the National Asse­mbly, lawmakers elected two senators: one each on a general and a technocrat seat. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was elected senator on the technocrat seat defeating Raja Ansar of the PTI whereas PPP’s Rana Mahmoodul Hasan was elected senator on a general seat from the federal capital defeating his opponent Farzand Hussain of the PTI.

Though there was no sloganeering like the last time, the members thum­ped their desks to welcome their leaders, including Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. A PML-N MNA from Bahawalpur, Usman Awaisi, displayed a banner expressing solidarity with Palestine when Shehbaz Sharif polled his vote.

In light of the polling, Returning Officer Saeed Gul issued strict directives prohibiting the entry of visitors to the gallery, as the house had been turned into a polling station. He emphasised that only media personnel were allowed to observe the electoral process from the galleries.

Sindh

In Sindh, the ruling PPP clinched 10 out of 12 seats, followed by MQM-P with one seat. Ex-PTI leader Faisal Vawda became an independent senator after the PPP withdrew its candidate Sarfaraz Rajar in favour of the former MNA. The MQM-P also supported Faisal Vawda.

On general seats, PPP’s Ashraf Ali Jatoi (22 votes), Dost Ali Jessar (21 votes), Kazim Ali Shah (21 votes), Masroor Ahsan (21 votes), and Nadeem Bhutto (21 votes) were successful. MQM-P’s Amir Chishti (21 votes) and independent Faisal Vawda (21 votes) also won a general seat.

On the technocrat seats, PPP’s Zamir Ghumro (58 votes) and Sarmad Ali (57 votes) were successful, while PPP’s Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani (57 votes) and Quratulain Marri (58 votes) bagged the two seats reserved for women. PPP’s Poonjo Bheel (117 votes) was also successful on a minority seat.

Nine members of the PTI and one member of Jamaat-i-Islami boycotted the election, while three members of the Grand Democratic Alliance were deemed ineligible voters since they did not take oath as MPAs, reducing the number of voters to 165 in the 168-member house. A total of 154 votes — 117 by the PPP and 37 by the MQM-P — were cast during the polling, which continued from 9am to 4pm.

Punjab

In Punjab, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb secured victory in the upper house on a technocrat seat after securing 128 votes.

PML-N leader and Federal Minister for Energy Musadik Malik also won a technocrat seat after securing 121 votes. PML-N’s Anusha Rahman and Bushra Anjum Butt were declared victors on women’s seats, while PML-N’s Tahir Khalil Sindhu was elected on a minority seat.

KP polls postponed

In its two-page order, carrying signatures of all five members, the Election Commission of Pakistan said the electoral college was incomplete for Senate elections in the KP Assembly and the non-administration of oaths to lawmakers amounted to disenfranchisement.

“…the commission is of the considered view that the standards of honesty, justness and fairness of election as provided in Article 218(3) of the Constitution cannot be fulfilled due to non-administration of oath to elected members and which amounts to disenfranchisement of lawful voters and denial of level playing field to the voters.”

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2024