KARACHI, Feb 10: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians has asked Mian Raza Rabbani, leader of the opposition in the Senate, and Dr Safdar Ali Abbasi, to offer themselves for re-election in the next month’s election to fill in the vacant Senate seats in general category.

It has also nominated Dr Jawaid Leghari of SZABIST in technocrat category. His cover candidate will be Dr Karim Khawaja.

Miss Ratna Bhagwandas Chawla has been nominated for women’s seat. Her cover-candidate would be Farzana Balouch.

According to a joint statement issued here on Friday by leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Khuhro and provincial party chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah, the decision was taken by a board, headed by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, in consultation with and approval of the PPP chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto. Mr Khuhro and Mr Shah were members of the board.

The PPP leaders were also in contact with the MMA for a workable adjustment on one general seat to the religious party alliance as a quid pro quo for MMA’s support on technocrat and women seat in Sindh and possibly also in the NWFP.

According to sources, another meeting between the PPP and the MMA is expected on Saturday. The MMA leadership had also proposed Anas Noorani’s name for general seat for which the PPP had not fielded any candidate.

Prior to the finalization of the names, a meeting of the MPAs was held at Bilawal House to work out a consensus strategy.

According to sources, in all 16 names were considered for general, technocrat and women seats and views of the MPAs were solicited. Names of the outgoing leader of the opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani and former Senator Taj Haider were included in the list.