Senate elections for 52 seats to be held on March 3

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued the schedule for the Senate election to be held on March 3 for 52 vacant seats.

The parties are expected to convene meetings of their bodies concerned to short-list the candidates.

Half of the Upper House of Parliament will become vacant, as 32 senators will bow out on completion of their terms.

According to the schedule, nomination papers will be received on February 12 and 13 and their scrutiny will be held on February 16 and 17.

Hearing for and against acceptance of nomination papers will be held on February 20 and 21 while candidates will be free to withdraw their nomination papers on February 25. On the same day, the final list of candidates will be released.

Among those retiring on March 11 are the Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Leader of the House Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Haji Muhammad Adeel, Mushahidullah Khan, Afrasiab Khattak, Ch. Shujaat Hussain, Abdur Rehman Malik, Muhammad Zahid Khan and Pervaiz Rashid.