Voting Starts For Pakistan's Senate Elections

Islamabad, March 3, IRNA – Voting on vacant Senate seats in Pakistan started on Friday as the ruling Pakistan People Party is set to emerge as the single largest party in the Upper House of the parliament. A total of 50 senators in the 104-member Senate have retired after completing their six-year term and polling is being held for 45 seats as nine have already elected unopposed on special seats. A total of 98 candidates representing mainstream political parties and several independent are taking part in the contest. Four provincial assemblies and the National Assembly, or Lower House of the parliament, are Electoral College for the Senate. The Senate has equal representation from four provinces. Provincial assemblies will elect senators from their respective provinces while members of the National Assembly elect senators from the capital of Islamabad and Federally Administered Tribal Areas or FATA. Four FATA senators will be elected by members of the National Assembly. The Senate had a total of 100 seats and four special seats for religious minorities have been increased under a last year's constitutional amendment. The polling will continue till 4 pm and the result will be announced this evening. The Election Commission (EC) is monitoring the election in the provincial assemblies and the National Assembly. The newly-elected senators will replace 50 outgoing senators who will retire on March 12 after completing their six-year term. The EC on Thursday declared nine candidates as uncontested winners and thus polling is now being held for 45 seats, including for four newly-added minorities seats in the upper house. Political observers say that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is all set to emerge as the largest party in the Senate for the first time in 15 years. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and several other ministers have hinted early elections following the Senate elections. Gilani said last month that he will discuss snap polls with the opposition parties after the Senate elections./end