ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: The Election Commission of Pakistan will hold a draw on Jan 3 to decide the retirement of 50 senators after completion of their three-year term on March 13.

The Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has fixed the date for draw of lots for dividing members elected to the Senate from the Federal Capital, the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) and Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP, Secretary of Election Commission Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad announced here Tuesday.

The draw would be supervised by Acting CEC and would be held in two groups (Group 1-three-year term and Group 2-six-year term) at 10:00 am.

“Half of the members of the Senate will retire after completion of three years terms of their offices before March 13 as a result of the proposed drawing of lots,” he explained.

Of the 50 seats, 33 ballots would be drawn from the general seats (seven each from the Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan while four from FATA and one from the Federal Capital). Nine ballots would be drawn for the reserved seats for ulema/technocrats (two each from four provinces and one from the federal capital and eight seats for women (two each from the four provinces).