Senate elections: PPP targets nine seats out of 11 in Sindh

KARACHI: The Pakistan People's Party has made the target of winning nine seats, out of 11 seats of the Sindh province in the Senate elections, more than three seats irrespective of its numerical strength in the Sindh Assembly. Sources within the ruling party in Sindh told The News that some 15 MPAs of the opposition parties -- PTI, MQM and PML-F -- are in contact with the PPP and could change their loyalties in favour of the PPP.

The total strength of the ruling PPP in the Sindh Assembly’s 168 House is 103 with 99 own legislators and three MPAs of Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) and one of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and it can easily win six seats -- four general, one reserved for a technocrat and one for a woman -- on the basis of its numbers. But, the PPP has fielded candidates on all 11 seats in total disregard of its numerical strength in the assembly.

The opposition has a strength of 65 in the Sindh Assembly, having 30 MPAs of PTI, 21 of MQM-P and 14 of GDA. Based on its number, it can easily win five seats, three general and one seat each reserved for women and technocrats.

The PPP’s seven candidates on general seats are -- Sherry Rehman, Taj Haider, Saleem Mandviwala, Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Advocate Shahadat Awan, Sadiq Memon and Dost Ali Jessar. Barrister Farooq H Naek and Karim Ahmed Khawaja are candidates for two technocrat seats while Palwasha Khan and Rukhsana Parveen are the party’s candidates for two women seats.

The PTI has nominated Faisal Vawda on a general seat and Saifullah Abro on a technocrat seat while the MQM-P has fielded Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari and Khalida Ateeb on a general and a seat reserved for women, respectively. The GDA has fielded Pir Sadruddin Shah on a general seat.

According to the figures, if the PPP succeeded to get the support of 10 more MPAs, then it can win a total of nine seats of the Senate, five general, two technocrat and two women and the opposition can get only two Senate seats, one general and one technocrat or women.

Political observers believe this is quite obvious in the current political situation as some 15 MPAs of PTI, MQM and PML-F could change their loyalties in favour of the PPP due to internal rifts of opposition parties and reportedly big offers from the ruling party.