ISLAMABAD – Election Commission of Pakistan decide to conduct the Senate’s general elections on April 3, the sources close to the development said on Tuesday.
The Senate’s electoral process will commence on April 3, with polling stations set up across the national and provincial assemblies to elect representatives for 48 seats.
According to the details, 12 senators would be elected from both Sindh and Punjab while Islamabad would elect two senators.
Moreover, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan would each elect 11 new senators.
All 52 sitting senators are set to retire on March 11th upon completing their terms. This includes 12 senators from Punjab and Sindh as well as the four former FATA senators.
Additionally, upon completion of their terms, 11 senators from both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, along with two senators from Islamabad, will vacate their positions.
Under the 25th constitutional amendment, the four Senate seats from the former FATA region will not be subject to re-election.
The Punjab Assembly would nominate 12 senators including seven general members, two women, two technocrats, and one minority representative.
The sources said that the PML-N would collaborate with allied parties such as the PPP, PML-Q), and the IPP in the Senate elections. Furthermore, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) is expected to field candidates in the Senate race.
On March 8th, 2024, 11 senators from Punjab are scheduled to conclude their terms. Among the retiring senators are four PML-N-supported representatives: Dr. Asif Kirmani, Dr. Musadik Malik, Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, and Khalid Shaheen Butt.
Besides it, two senators from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) camp, Dr. Shahzad Waseem and Walid Iqbal, are set to retire.
The terms of two female senators, supported by the PML-N and PTI respectively – Nuzhat Sadiq and Seemi Ezdi would also retire. Two senators from Punjab’s technocrat and ulema seats including Hafiz Abdul Kareem and Ishaq Dar, both supported by the PML-N, would also retire.
Kamran Michael’s tenure on the minority seat is also due to retire.
