QUETTA, March 6: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League and its allies, the Balochistan National Party-Awami group (BNA-A) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), won a majority of seats in the Senate election held here on Monday.

The coalition partners won eight seats and opposition alliance three. Of the eight, the PML won four seats, the BNP-A one and the MMA three.

Sixty-three members in the house of 65 cast their votes. One seat in the assembly is vacant due to disqualification of an MPA of the PMAP while another member, Nawabzada Mir Balach Khan Marri, was absent.

Polling was held in the premises of the assembly in a peaceful manner. Provincial Election Commissioner, Sono Khan Baloch, was returning officer for the election.

According to results announced by the returning officer, Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali, Mir Mohabbat Khan Marri (PML), Mir Israrullah Khan Zehri (BNP-Awami), Mir Mohammad Ismail Buledi (MMA), Agha Shahid Hasan Bugti (JWP), Dr Abdul Malik Baloch (NP) and Abdul Rahim Mandokhel (PMAP) were elected on general seats for six years.

On two reserved seats for technocrats, Syed Saeed Ahmed Hashmi of the PML and Rehmatullah Kakar Advocate of the MMA were elected. The joint candidate of four opposition parties, Mian Saifullah Khan Paracha of the PPP, got 15 votes and came out third in the contest and other candidates did not poll any vote.

On two reserved seats for women, Rehana Yahya Baloch (PML) and Sabina Rauf (MMA) were elected. Sayyeda Nargis Safavi Baloch (independent) and Professor Naela Quadri, joint opposition candidate secured 10 and six votes respectively.

The MMA, however, suffered a setback when its candidate, Dr Azizullah Satakzai, lost the election despite having got seven first preferences. He needed just 88 points but in the last count, Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali of the PML who had got six first preferences, was declared successful when 312 points of an independent candidate, Mohammad Zariat Khan, were moved to him.

Former governor Syed Fazal Agha, Senator (retd) Ayaz Khan Mandokhel, Mrs Roshan Khurshid Bharucha of the PML retired from the contest before polling started. However, Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani of the PML refused to withdraw from the contest.

Mohammad Zarait, an independent candidate from Karachi, also did not retire from the contest and succeeded in bagging the first three preferences.