The nomination papers could be submitted at the returning officers during office timings from February 04 to 06 and the process of scrutiny will be finalized till February 09. The list of the candidates would be issued on February 15 while the candidates can withdraw their candidature till February 16. The ECP also notified 52 retiring senators including from four provinces, FATA and Islamabad Capital Territory.
According to the ECP, four senators will be elected on general seats from FATA, 11 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan each, and 12 each from Sindh and Punjab - including seven on general seats, two on technocrat seats, two on women's seats and one on a minorities' seat. Islamabad too will elect two senators - on general and technocrat seats.
Since senators are elected through a secret ballot, therefore the chances of horse-trading always remain high during the Senate elections. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), being the current majority party with 26 senators, is set to lose 18 senators including its chairman Raza Rabbani and leader of the opposition Aitzaz Ahsan due to retire on March 11.
The PPP sources said that party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is in contact with likeminded politicians such as from JUI-F, ANP and PML-Q to consolidate support for the Senate elections. With an eye on the Senate elections, Zardari on January 26 also hosted Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Qudus Bizenjo along with his cabinet at Chief Minister House, Karachi.
The upcoming Senate elections also came under discussion during the dinner meeting and PPP sources are hopeful that the party will be able to get maximum seats from Balochistan due to their Co-chairman's political acumen and wheeling dealing to change the loyalties of lawmakers. Commenting on the recent meeting of Asif Zardari with Balochistan chief minister and his cabinet, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq also held Zardari and anti-PML-N forces responsible for the change in Balochistan.
"Asif Zardari's dinner for Balochistan Chief Minister and his cabinet reflects the fact that PPP has become a partner in the joint move [to oust PML-N chief minister] with a view to secure a few seats in the Senate", he added. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which has a total of 27 senators is going to lose nine of its members, but the party is expected to increase its strength after Senate election especially by winning majority seats from Punjab.
However, it may not be able to win a single seat from Balochistan after the recent development in the province when a PML-Q's Chief Minister Abdul Qudus Bizenjo replaced its Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehrai. In background discussions with various PML-N leaders, they accused the establishment and their like-minded politicians for creating troubles for the party ahead of the Senate elections with a view to preventing its imminent majority in the upcoming Senate.
However, sources in the security establishment rubbished the allegations of supporting or opposing any political force either in the Senate or in general elections. "The military has already explained its position on various occasions including in the recent in-camera briefing to the Senate that it is not interfering in the country's politics, and will continue to exercise its constitutional role", said an official of the Pakistan army.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which currently has a total of seven senators, will lose one seat as the party's Azam Swati is also going to retire on March 11. But the party is expected to gain more seats in the Senate due to its majority position in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly. JUI-F with current five senators is also set to lose three senators while the party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is lobbying hard to consolidate his party's position in the upcoming Senate elections.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) will bid farewell to four of its eight senators, including Colonel Tahir Mashhadi (retd), Nasreen Jalil and Dr Farogh Naseem while the party is eyeing its strength in Sindh assembly to at least win four seats from the province. PML-Q will lose all its seats, as all its four senators are going to retire on March 11. ANP which currently holds six seats is set to lose five after March 11, but it has zero chance to elect even a single senator.