February 12, 2009	Thursday	Safar 16, 1430

ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have struck a ‘deal’ for the Senate elections and announced the lists of their candidates.

The PPP’s list contains names of 27 candidates from the four provinces and the capital and for women’s and technocrats’ seats. Three candidates of the MQM will contest from Sindh.

The distribution of 11 seats at stake from Sindh between the PPP and MQM shows an adjustment between the parties.

Pakistan Muslim League-F has not nominated any candidate and announced its support for Islamuddin Sheikh of the PPP.

Other parties are also reported to be trying to reach seat adjustment accords for the 50 seats falling vacant next month.

PPP’s candidates include Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik, Law Minister Farooq H. Naek and party secretary-general Jehangir Badr who was a member of the parliamentary board formed to select the candidates.

MQM’s candidates are Minister Babar Ghauri, Shirala Nishat and Haseeb Khan.

Among PPP’s candidates, 17 will contest for general seats, four for women’s and five for technocrats’ seats.

The names of the candidates were announced by the party’s parliamentary board which met President Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House in Karachi.

The following is the province-wise list:

Sindh: (general seats) Gul Mohammad Lot, Islamuddin Sheikh, Maula Bux Chandio, Dr Khatumal Jeewan and Syed Faisal Raza Abidi; (technocrats) Farooq H. Naek and Dr Abdul Rehman Malik and (women’s seat) Almas Parveen.

NWFP: (general seats) Gulzar Ahmed Khan, his son Waqar Ahmed Khan and Sardar Ali Khan; (technocrats) Adnan Khan and (women’s seat) Farhat Abbas.

Punjab: (general seats) Jehangir Badr and Salahuddin Dogar; (technocrats) Kazim Khan and (women) Sughra Imam.

Balochistan: (general seats) Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani, Aurangzeb Alamgir, Sabir Baloch, Suraya Ameeruddin, Hina Gulzar, Abdullah Moosazai and Sardar Tahir advocate and (technocrats) Saifullah Paracha.

Islamabad: Nayar Hussain Bukhari and (women’s seat) Dr Saeeda Iqbal.

Some of the senior party members ignored are Farhatullah Babar, Dr Israr Shah, Enver Baig and Babar Minhas.

Our Staff Reporter in Karachi adds: MQM candidate Babar Ghauri is the federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, industrialist Abdul Haseeb Khan is a member of the party’s research and advisory committee and Shirala Nishat is widow of slain MNA Dr Nishat Mallik.

Mr Ghauri, Dr Mohammad Ali Brohi and Allama Abbas Komaili of the MQM will retire from the Senate on March 11.

According to sources, the MQM decided not to field a candidate for the technocrats seat and its members in the Sindh Assembly will vote for PPP’s Rehman Malik.

They said the two parties were likely to bag all the 11 seats from the province.

Our Staff Correspondent adds from Quetta: The Balochistan National Party-A has nominated Mir Mohammad Ali Rind and Saeed Faiz Baloch for general seats and Shazia Khalil and Smina Rehman for women’s seats from Balochistan.

JUI-F’s provincial chief Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani will con-test for a general seat and central

secretary-general Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for a technocrat

seat.

The Awami National Party has nominated its provincial chief Khuda-i-Dad for a general seat.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Q is yet to finalise the list of its candidates.

PPP candidate Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani is the party’s provincial chief and Suraya Amiruddin general secretary of the women’s wing.