December 14, 2002	Saturday	Shawwal 9, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: The government has decided to hold the Senate elections in the third week of January, three months after the deadline fixed by the Supreme Court for the purpose.

Validating the military takeover, the Supreme Court in its judgment had fixed October 12, 2002 “for holding of general election(s) to the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies and the Senate of Pakistan”.

Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, senior federal minister, told Dawn that the Senate elections would be held after by-elections which are scheduled for Jan 15. He said the exact date for the Senate elections would be announced by the Election Commission.

The National Reconstruction Bureau, then headed by a retired general of armoured corps, had made many proposals about the electoral college for the Senate. But, later those proposals were withdrawn.

The Senate elections, to be held under the existing electoral college, are likely to be dominated by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

The military government had first proposed to hold the Senate elections on the proportionate basis. It had even announced that the Senate elections would be held with the general elections.

Later, the proposal was withdrawn and it was announced that Fata senators would be elected through a direct vote, but those from the rest of the country would be elected by the members of the provincial assemblies.

After the holding of general elections in which the voters from Fata had voted for the MMA, the government changed its mind and announced that Fata elections would also be held in accordance with the existing procedure provided in the Constitution, that is the MNAs from Fata would elect the senators.

The MMA had bagged seven out of 12 National Assembly seats from Fata.