ISLAMABAD: No party would be able to get clear majority in the upcoming polls of 50 percent seats in Senate if elections are held on the existing numerical strength of the assemblies which are the constituents of the elections.
The ruling alliance under the PTI would be able to reach the mark of 48 which would be short of three members for constituting majority while five members with full house since four members will not return from erstwhile Fata constituencies due to merger of the area in KP. Well-placed parliamentary sources told The News Wednesday that the PTI would be able to reach mark of 26 in 104-member house where election on four seats of Fata will not take place due to no existence of constituencies. The PML-N which is currently having 30 seats in Senate but the polls in first quarter of next year would reduce its number and it would become equal with 20 members of the PPP. The Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) will improve its strength by reaching 12 seats. Currently, the PTI has 14 members in Senate and its seven members will be retiring in March next. It is likely that it will be able to bag 19 seats in elections according to the incumbent strength of the members in provinces. The sources pointed out that the JUI-F will be retaining its five seats in the upper house as its two senators will be retiring in March elections. The MQM-P which has five members in Senate will be reduced to three. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq will be retiring and Jamaat wouldn’t be able to get any seat in the upcoming polls.
It will reduce the JI to one member and that is from the KP. The sources said opposition parties could improve their strength further through adopting sagacious and combined strategy. The PTI will be under tremendous pressure from its allies for bigger share in the mid-term polls of the upper house. It would be difficult for the PTI to oblige all its coalition partners but in case of the MQM-P, GDA and the PML-Q, it will have to accommodate them with one additional seat that could reduce the exclusive number of the PTI in Senate, the sources added.
