Watershed Senate election today
ISLAMABAD:
Stage is set for a tough electoral battle between the government and the opposition parties with far-reaching repercussions for both sides, as lawmakers in the national and three provincial assemblies will elect new senators for a six-year term on Wednesday (today).
This year’s election of the half of the members of the upper house of parliament is watershed as winning control of the Senate would enable the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to legislate easily, but a defeat on the other hand, might invite a no-confidence move against it.
The polling is due on 37 seats of the 104-member house. The National Assembly members will vote for one general seat and one women’s seat from Islamabad. Voting will be held in the respective provincial assemblies for 11 seats of Sindh and 12 each of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Danesh Kumar BAP (Minorities)
Polling continued until after 5pm in the KP Assembly, where the ECP allowed lawmakers already inside the legislature to cast their votes. Polling did not take place on Wednesday in Punjab where all Senate candidates were elected unopposed last month after disqualification or withdrawal of papers by other contestants.
Yousuf Gilani vs Hafeez Shaikh
While the ruling PTI’s numerical strength in the Senate was expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats, the hottest contest was expected between Gilani and Shaikh.
Opposition s Yousuf Raza Gilani meets PTI s Hafeez Shaikh in NA. Screengrab from PTV
Hours before polling commenced, the contest became even more controversial with the emergence of a video of Gilani s son, Ali Haider, explaining to certain lawmakers how to cancel their votes.
According to unofficial result, Gilani bags 169 votes while Shaikh receives 164 ballots; seven votes rejected
Yousaf Raza Gilani with Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. SCREENGRAB
QUETTA/
ISLAMABAD/
KARACHI/
LAHORE:
In a major upset in the Senate election, Yousaf Raza Gilani, the joint candidate of opposition parties, has been elected senator from Islamabad, by defeating Abdul Hafeez Shaikh of the ruling party, according to unofficial results.
Yousaf Raza Gilani, a former prime minister who belongs to the PPP, enjoyed the support of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance cobbled together by a dozen opposition parties against the embattled government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Danesh Kumar BAP (Minorities)
Polling continued until after 5pm in the KP Assembly, where the ECP allowed lawmakers already inside the legislature to cast their votes. Polling did not take place on Wednesday in Punjab where all Senate candidates were elected unopposed last month after disqualification or withdrawal of papers by other contestants.
Yousuf Gilani vs Hafeez Shaikh
While the ruling PTI’s numerical strength in the Senate was expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats, the hottest contest was expected between Gilani and Shaikh.
Opposition s Yousuf Raza Gilani meets PTI s Hafeez Shaikh in NA. Screengrab from PTV
Hours before polling commenced, the contest became even more controversial with the emergence of a video of Gilani s son, Ali Haider, explaining to certain lawmakers how to cancel their votes.
Danesh Kumar BAP (Minorities)
Polling continued until after 5pm in the KP Assembly, where the ECP allowed lawmakers already inside the legislature to cast their votes. Polling did not take place on Wednesday in Punjab where all Senate candidates were elected unopposed last month after disqualification or withdrawal of papers by other contestants.
Yousuf Gilani vs Hafeez Shaikh
While the ruling PTI’s numerical strength in the Senate was expected to almost double from the existing 14 seats, the hottest contest was expected between Gilani and Shaikh.
Opposition s Yousuf Raza Gilani meets PTI s Hafeez Shaikh in NA. Screengrab from PTV
Hours before polling commenced, the contest became even more controversial with the emergence of a video of Gilani s son, Ali Haider, explaining to certain lawmakers how to cancel their votes.