ECP releases list of 170 candidates for Senate polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) late Tuesday released a list of 170 candidates on Form 52 for the upcoming Senate elections.

This time, 11 candidates have filed their papers as independent: nine from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and two from Balochistan.

The political parties drew up their strategies for the electoral bout, the nature of which is yet to be determined, as the Supreme Court is hearing a presidential reference, envisaging the open ballot. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on Feb 17 and 18. Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers will be filed on Feb 19 and 20, and will be decided on Feb 22 and 23. A revised list of candidates will be published on Feb 24 whereas Feb 25 has been set as the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

As many as 52 senators are set to retire, who are 50 per cent of the 104-member House, on March 11 after completing their six-year tenure. However, this time, there will be no polling for the four seats of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) after their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Therefore, polling will be held to elect 48 senators: 12 each from KP and Balochistan, 11 each from Punjab and Sindh and two from Islamabad. Polling will be held to elect seven members on general seats, two women and two technocrats in the four provinces. Moreover, the election on one minority seat each in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan would also be held. Against speculations, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf brought no change in the list of its candidates despite reservations expressed by the party cadres.

In a related development, the candidature of PPP’s Yousaf Raza Gilani had been challenged, who enjoys support of Pakistan Democratic Movement. He has been fielded from the federal capital for the general seat.

He has been alleged to have concealed facts. PTI leader Fareed Rehman, who is also contesting from the federal capital, has claimed in his petition that Gilani did not mention in his nomination papers that he was convicted by the SC. Moreover, he pointed out that by not mentioning the conviction, Gilani does not meet the standards required of a lawmaker under Article 62. He also claimed that the candidate was not of ‘good repute. He prayed that the candidate’s papers should be rejected on this basis.