ISLAMABAD: The ruling alliance is set to collect the most seats in today’s by-polls being held on six Senate seats that fell vacant from Balochistan, Sindh, and Islamabad, local media reported on Thursday.
These seats had fallen vacant under Article 223 of the Constitution which stops legislators from holding dual membership. The polling to fill two vacant general seats in the Senate from Sindh has started at Sindh Assembly building at 9am and the process will continue till 4pm where PPP has fielded Muhammad Aslam Abro and Jam Saifullah Khan Dharejo against Shazia Sohail and Nazeerullah of the Sunni SIC.
The by-elections are being conducted to fill the Sindh-based seats in the upper house of the parliament that became vacant following the PPP senators Jam Mehtab Dahar and Nisar Ahmed Khuhro became members of the Sindh Assembly in the February 8 general polls.
Senate by-polls
Provincial Election Commissioner, Sindh, Sharifullah, has been acting as the returning officer for the by-polls.
As per media reports, a total of nine candidates have been in the running for three general seats of the Upper House from Balochistan on which the by-elections are underway. These candidates are Shakeel Ahmed Durrani (PPP), Abdul Qudoos (PPP), Tariq Hussain (PPP), Syed Mahmood Shah (Independent), Abdul Shakoor Khan (Independent), Kauda Babar (Balochistan Awami Party), Mir Hair Bayar Khan Domki (Independent), Muhammad Mobeen Khilji (Balochistan Awami Party), and Mir Dostain Khan Domki (PML-N).
These seats became vacant following senators Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, and Prince Ahmad Umar Ahmadzai became members of the National and proviniical assemblies in the February 8 polls.
Earlier, the leaders of PPP and JUI-F held dialogue and decided to support each other’s candidates in the Senate by-elections.
The National Assembly of Pakistan will also elect one legislator from Islamabad today on a general seat that fell vacant following PPP Senator and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani was elected as Member of National Assembly in the Feb 8 elections.
