PML-N out of Senate race

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday ruled that the nominees fielded by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) could take part in the Senate polls as independent candidates.

The full commission rejected the tickets issued party Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq with his signatures. The Supreme Court’s three-member bench’s decision was deliberated upon here at the Election Commission in a special session with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza in the chair. At the end, a two-page order was issued, which said that the candidates fielded by the PML-N could now contest the Senate election as independents.

In all, four options were discussed during the meeting of the Election Commission, which were: to postpone the Senate and Punjab and Sindh Assembly by-elections, PML-N candidates be barred from upcoming electoral process, time should be given for fielding new candidates, and lastly to allow the party candidates to be part of the electoral process but in the capacity of independents.

The Election Commission said the Senate election as well as the by-elections in PP-30, Sargodha-III, and PS-7, Ghotki-III, would be conducted as per schedule. However, the PML-N candidate contesting the upcoming PP-30 Sargodha by-poll was also declared as independent. The electoral body said it was waiting for the detailed verdict of the Supreme Court.

The decision to issue new tickets was taken during a PML-N meeting, following which Raja Zafarul Haq visited the Election Commission and signed the forms of candidates. The Election Commission, in compliance with the apex court order, had also removed Nawaz Sharif's name as the party president. The electoral body pointed out that Nawaz Sharif's name shall be deemed to have been removed as party president from its election record from July 28, 2017.

Raja Zafarul Haq, accompanied by ministers Anusha Rehman and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, called on the chief election commissioner to re-issue tickets to the party's Senate candidates. While talking to journalists outside the Election Commission he said that as the chairman of the party, he held the authority to issue party tickets. He said he had submitted an authority letter and other relevant documents to the ECP.

When asked about the prospect of a new leader for the party, he said a consultation process had been initiated to appoint an acting president and the PML-N's central working party will appoint a new president next week.

The Election Commission has also decided to hold a consultative meeting with parliamentary parties on February 26 to discuss matters relating to elections, including delimitation of constituencies and electoral rolls.