ISLAMABAD: The PPP has announced its candidates for the upcoming Senate elections, introducing many new faces and ignoring some of its prominent leaders.

The party has named Kazim Shah, Ashraf Jatoi, Masroor Ahsan, Nadeem Bhutto, Sarfaraz Rajar and Dost Ali Jessar as candidates for general seats from Sindh, Barrister Zameer Ghumro and Sarmad Ali on two seats for technocrats and Quratul Ain Marri and Rubina Qaimkhani on two reserved seats for women. It has also awarded ticket to Poonjo Bheel against a reserved seat for non-Muslims.

Prominent among those to have been ignored include former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, former federal minister Moula Bux Chandio and Waqar Mehdi.

The PPP and ANP have fielded Aimal Wali Khan as their joint candidate for a general seat from Balochistan. Jan Mohammad Buledi will be a joint candidate of the PPP and NP for another general seat.

Others named as candidates for general seats from the province include Mir Changaiz Khan Jamali and Sardar Umer Gorgaij. Bilal Mandokhel has been named as PPP candidate for a technocrat seat from Balochistan, while Ishrat Brohi and Kiran Baloch will be contesting for seats reserved for women.

Rubina Khalid will be PPP’s candidate for a seat reserved for women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Faiza Ahmed Malik has been named as party’s candidate for a reserved seat for women from Punjab.

Rana Mehmoodul Hassan will be contesting for a general seat from Islamabad.

Saturday (today) is the last date for filing nomination papers for 48 Senate seats to be up for grabs on April 2.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2024