Sindh

22 candidates submit forms for Senate elections

Elections in Sindh scheduled for March 5.

Our Correspondent February 12, 2015

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah who accompanied the PPP candidates said their party believes in reconciliation, which is why it has started negotiations with the MQM and the PML-F to get the senators elected unopposed. STOCK IMAGE

KARACHI: Around 22 candidates belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) submitted their forms on Thursday to contest the Senate elections.

PPP’s Rehman Malik, Islamuddin Shaikh, Saleem Mandiviwala, Farooq H Naek, Sassui Palijo, the MQM’s Barrister Saif, Mian Ateek, Qadir Khanzada, Khushbakht Shujaat, Raza Zaidi, Waseem Akhtar and Ameenul Haq submitted their forms at the provincial election commission office. Meanwhile, Imamuddin Shauqeen was the only PML-F candidate who showed up.

The elections have now been postponed to March 5 in Sindh. The ruling PPP, which has reached an understanding with the MQM, will try to get their candidates elected unopposed. The opposition parties insisted, however, on holding Senate elections through secret ballot. The elections will be held for seven general, two technocrat and two women seats.

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah who accompanied the PPP candidates said their party believes in reconciliation, which is why it has started negotiations with the MQM and the PML-F to get the senators elected unopposed. “We are hopeful of getting seven seats,” he said. “There will be nothing wrong if the PML-F and PML-N decide to contest the Senate elections instead of electing the candidates unopposed. If so, the elections will be held through secret ballot.”

Shah clarified there were no disputes within the PPP ranks over the decision to allot Senate tickets. Meanwhile, PPP’s Rehman Malik was of the view that there was no need for any third party as the PPP and the MQM were jointly contesting the Senate elections.

PML-F leader Muzaffar Hussain Shah said they have fielded their candidate, Shauqeen, to win the elections. “Apart from the PML-N, some PPP members have also assured us of support,” he said, adding that they will not allow the PPP and the MQM to elect their candidates unopposed.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2015.