Pakistan’s ruling party takes lead in Senate poll: Media

A Pakistan Army soldier stands guard near the provincial assembly during the Senate election in Peshawar on Saturday. (AFP)

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ruling party gained control of the Parliament’s upper house in a secret ballot on Saturday, according to Reuters quoting local media.
The Senate result is likely to revive the political fortunes of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has clashed with the judiciary since the Supreme Court ended his premiership in July by disqualifying him from office over undeclared assets.
“PMLN now the single largest party in Senate as well, Masha’Allah,” tweeted Sharif’s daughter and presumed heir, Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
Candidates backed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 15 of the 52 seats up for grabs, overtaking Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as the biggest group in the upper house, according to Geo TV channel and other media. PPP candidates won 12 seats.
Working with allied parties in the Senate, PML-N should have de facto control of the 104-seat chamber.
Polling for the Senate elections started at 9 a.m. on Saturday, across all four provincial assemblies and the national assembly. One hundred and thirty-one candidates across the country contested 52 Senate seats from the four provinces, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the federal capital.
Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel were deployed outside the assemblies and Parliament to maintain order.
A total of 20 candidates battled for 12 seats from Punjab, 33 contenders for 12 seats from Sindh, 26 contested for 11 seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 25 candidates for 11 seats from Balochistan, 24 contenders for four seats from FATA and five candidates for two seats from Islamabad.
At the National Assembly (NA) in Islamabad, Speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was the first to cast his vote, while in Punjab, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar was the first one to cast his vote, followed by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah. In Sindh, PPP MPA Rubina Qaimkhani was the first to cast a vote, followed by former Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.
The four provincial assemblies vote for their respective representatives, while senators in FATA are elected by MNAs from the tribal areas. In the federal capital senators are elected by NA members.
Senate polls are held every three years when half of the senators complete their six-year term, out of a 104-member house. The Senate comprises 66 general seats, 17 reserved for women, 17 for technocrats and four for non-Muslims.
Sindh & Punjab: Of the 12 seats, seven are general seats with two women seats, two technocrats and one non-Muslim seat.
KP & Balochistan: Of 11 seats, two are reserved for women, two for technocrats and seven general.
On Friday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a code of conduct according to which no one would be allowed to carry mobile phones to the polling stations and assembly members would be allowed inside only upon producing their secretariat cards.
MNAs and MPAs were also urged to ensure the secrecy of their votes. According to ECP, the punishment for violating the code of conduct includes a fine of up to Rs100,000 ($904) and/or a jail term anywhere between six months and two years.
Addressing the media before entering Parliament, State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said: “Never in the history of any country has an elected premier been removed on the basis of an Iqama (foreign work permit). Despite no proof of corruption, he was still removed,” she said, adding that a sea of people awaits to welcome deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“Nawaz will come out as the winner in today’s elections,” she said.
Talking to the media outside the National Assembly, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Shafqat Mahmood said PTI chief Imran Khan will not be coming to the assembly today as he has other commitments.