PESHAWAR: As major political parties awarded tickets for the upcoming Senate elections, five candidates submitted their nomination papers with the returning officer here on Tuesday.

According to a spokesperson for Election Commission of Pakistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nomination papers were submitted by Ali Afzal Jadoon of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Faisal Sakhi Butt and Behramend Khan Tangi of the Pakistan People’s Party, MNA Naeema Kishwar of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Senator Azam Swati of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Provincial Election Commissioner Pir Maqbool Ahmad has been notified as the returning officer for the Senate elections in the province.

The commission had announced elections for seven general seats, two of technocrats and ulema and two of women for the Upper House from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The last date for filing of nomination papers is Feb 8, whereas the last date for the scrutiny of nomination papers is Feb 12. Nomination papers can be withdrawn until Feb 19, while polling will be held on Mar 3.

Major parties award tickets for March 3 polls

The JUI-F has awarded tickets to its provincial chief Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan, Senator Talha Mehmood, Sheikh Yaqoob and sitting MNA Naeema Kishwar.

Gul Naseeb Khan, who had served as a senator, will contest election on the technocrat seat, while Talha Mehmood and Sheikh Yaqoob have received tickets for general seats. MNA Naeema Kishwar will contest on a seat reserved for women.

Spokesman for the party Jalil Jan said Sheikh Yaqoob was elected councilor of district council Dera Ismail Khan on the JUI-F ticket.

He said Yaqoob was a businessman by profession and an old guard of the party.

Strength of the JUI-F in the KP Assembly has reduced from 17 to 15 after its two MPAs, Maulana Asmatullah and Abdul Shakoor, from Kohistan and Charsadda, respectively left party and joined PTI.

The Jamaat-i-Islami has awarded ticket to the party provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmad Khan. Earlier, Sirajul Haq was elected senator from the KP Assembly after the party struck a deal with its coalition partner, PTI. Presently, the JI has seven MPAs.

The ruling PTI has allotted tickets to business tycoon Haji Ayub Afridi, Deputy Speaker KP Assembly Dr Meher Taj Roghani, MNA Khiyal Zaman Orakzai, sitting senator from Mansehra Azam Swati, whose term will expire in March, Fida Mohammad Khan from Malakand, Advocate General KP Abdul Latif Yousafzai and Faisal Javed, a close aide of Imran Khan.

Ayub Afridi who belongs to Khyber Agency recently joined the PTI. He is the father-in-law of Javed Afridi, owner of the Peshawar Zalmi Cricket team. The strength of PTI in the provincial assembly has also squeezed. Its MPAs Saleem Babar joined the PML-N and Ziaullah Afridi the PPP.

MPA Amjad Afridi from Kohat was expelled from PTI on charges of violation of discipline in the local government elections.

The PTI has also lost the support of independent MPA Imran Mohmand from Mardan as he had formally joined the PML-N. Few other MPAs of the party are also at odds with the PTI leadership that can adversely affect its position in the Senate polls.

The Qaumi Watan Party with 10 MPAs has yet to announce its candidates for the Senate polls. Differences have cropped up between the party leadership and some MPAs and the QWP may lose loyalties of at least four lawmakers.

The PML-N has increased its strength from 16 to 18 in the provincial assembly though one of its MPAs recently showed his intension to join the PTI. The MPA has held meeting with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

The PPP, which has six MPAs in the assembly, has nominated Senator Rubina Khalid, Behramend Tangi, Faisal Sakhi Butt, Farzand Ali and Dr Nisar, while the Awami National Party having five MPAs has named former state minister Masood Abbas Khattak and former MPA Shagufta Malik.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2018