Candidates start filing papers for Senate polls

PESHAWAR: A number of candidates filed nomination papers for the upcoming Senate election from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the number of those obtaining papers have reached around 90.

An official of the Election Commission of Pakistan KP said candidates had started filing nomination papers on Friday. The process would continue on Saturday as well.

The official said a total of 90 candidates had obtained nomination papers so far to contest the Senate elections.

Polling will be held in the first week of next month to elect new senators after 52 are going to complete their six-year tenure.

An official said those who had obtained nomination papers included some of the sitting ministers as well members of different political parties.

A number of independent candidates have obtained nomination papers as well.

The ECP has set up digital facilitation centres in Peshawar and other provinces for online verification of various documents of candidates from the department concerned. The centres will provide the information to the returning officers concerned.

A video that went viral a few days ago in which MPAs from KP were allegedly receiving money before the March 2018 Senate poll created a fresh controversy just ahead of the ballot for the Upper House of the parliament. Many assembly members were accused in the past of receiving huge amounts for casting votes in the Senate poll.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and earlier the Awami National Party had expelled their MPAs after the last Senate poll who allegedly sold their votes instead of voting for the party candidates.