PESHAWAR: Two candidates of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) retired from the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leaving 25 candidates in the field against 12 seats for which polling is going to be held today (Thursday) on the premises of the provincial assembly.

Returning officer Mussarat Khan, who is also the provincial election commissioner, visited the provincial assembly along with other officers and finalised arrangements for the polling slated to take place between 9:00am and 4:00pm.

Shazia Tehmas retired from the contest for seats reserved for women, whereas Engineer Hamayun Khan withdrew candidature for the seats reserved for technocrats.

Under the relevant rules, their names will be mentioned in the ballot papers but the candidates will be considered retired.

The Senate polls here are in the public and political focus as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province from where PTI has been contesting amid apprehensions about the use of money by affluent candidates.

An official of the Election Commission of Pakistan told Dawn that secrecy of votes would be ensured as under the Constitution and relevant election laws, the Senate elections were to be held through secret ballot.

According to the final lists, 12 candidates are in the running for seven general seats; five for two seats reserved for ulema and technocrat; five for two seats reserved for women, and three for a single seat reserved for non-Muslims.

While the polling will be held on the basis of single transferable vote system, 124 MPAs are the Electoral College for the polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The candidates for general seats are outgoing Senators Haji Mohammad Adeel (ANP) and Waqar Ahmad Khan (independent); Aamar Ahmad Khan (QWP), Maulana Attaur Rehman (JUI-F), Sirajul Haq (Jamaat-i-Islami), Lt-Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmazi (PML-N), Mohsin Aziz (PTI), Manzoor Khan (JUI-F), Liaquat Khan Tarakai (PTI), Khanzada Khan (PPP), Noor Alam Khan (PPP) and Syed Shibli Faraz (PTI).

Finally, 25 vying for 12 seats from KP

Among the candidates for technocrat seats are Mohammad Yaqoob (JUI-F), Abdul Malik (QWP), Afrasiab Khattak (ANP), Nauman Wazir (PTI) and Barrister Mohammad Jawed Abbasi (PML-N), while those in the running for the seats reserved for women are former provincial minister Sitara Ayaz (ANP), former senator Fauzia Fakhruz Zaman (independent), Bibi Safia (JUI-F), Sameena Abid (PTI) and Shaheen Habibullah (PML-N).

Three candidates for seat reserved for non-Muslims are James Iqbal (JUI-F), Brigadier (r) John Kenneth Williams (PTI) and outgoing Senator Amer Jeet (ANP).

RO Mussarat Khan is the presiding officer for the elections, whereas director (elections) Talib Hussain, deputy director (elections) Khushalzada, law officer Riaz Ahmad Khattak, public relations officer Sohail

Ahmad and election officer Syed Zahoor are the polling officers.

Meanwhile, PPP provincial information secretary Liaquat Shabab on Wednesday claimed that the three-party alliance of the PPP, JUI-F and ANP would succeed in the elections.

Addressing a news conference here, Shabab said PPP awarded tickets for Senate elections to Engineer Hamayun Khan and Shazia Tehmas for technocrat and women seats respectively but both of them withdrew their candidatures in line with the instructions of the party leadership.

When asked about the PPP’s opposition to the proposed 22nd constitutional amendment, Shabab said his party didn’t want hasty changes to the Constitution.

He criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Finally, 25 contest for 12 Senate seats from KP its federal government for keeping silence on the constitutional amendment during the last two years.

“This is not the right time to make such amendment,” he said.

Flanked by Engineer Hamayun Khan, Shazia Tehmas, Noor Alam Khan, MPAs Nighat Orakzai, Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha and Saleem Khan and former party provincial president Rahim Dad Khan, the PPP leader said the decision to withdraw two candidates from the Senate elections was made after negotiations with various political parties and that the party leaders and activists were satisfied with the step.

On the occasion, Noor Alam Khan, candidate for the Senate elections, said his party awarded tickets to candidates on the basis of their work for the party.

He said his party wanted transparency and fairness in the Senate elections and that the Election Commission of Pakistan should allow media to cover the election proceedings for the purpose.

Published in Dawn March 5th , 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play