Political parties prepare for March 3 Senate elections

The Pakistan Sarzameen Party (PSP) may become the only party in Sindh to get the votes for its nominee in the Senate elections without having a member in the provincial assembly.

The seven disgruntled Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan lawmakers who have resigned from their party and joined PSP are likely to cast votes for Raza Haroon, a party nominee. Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that Shiraz Waheed, Bilqees Mukhtar, Nadeem Razi, Mohammad Dilawar, Irtiza Farooqui, Muhammad Razaque and Abdullah Shaikh left MQM but can still case their votes.

"They have submitted their resignations, which have not yet been accepted by the speaker. They are entitled to cast the votes," the Sindh Assembly secretary told The Express Tribune. When asked about how many assembly mem- bers are required to elect a senator, the secretary said, the Election Commission of Pakistan has not finalised the formula yet. Not only these seven members, but MQM's Irum Azeem Farooq and PTI's Hafeezuddin, who has formally joined the PSP, can also cast their votes in the upcoming Senate elections. "We are hopeful to get more than what other people expect because many MQMPakistan MPAs will also give their votes to our candidate, Raza Haroon," PSP President Anis Qaimkhani said.

The spokesperson for MQMPakistan, however, rejected the notion. "Those who have left our party and joined the PSP can't cast their votes because we have challenged their legal position in court following delaying tactics by the Sindh Assembly speaker to accept their resignations," he said.

Around 109 people from different political parties have gotten nomination forms for the Senate elections which will be held on March 3. Twelve senators from Sindh will be elected next month.

According to the election commission schedule, the last date for filing of nomination papers is February 8 and the names of the nominated candidates will be displayed on February 9. "After that, we will start the scrutiny process which will continue till February 12 and the last

date for withdrawal is February 19," the election commission spokesperson said.

As the senate elections are approaching fast, people and different political parties have started lobbying to get tickets and make alliances for the Senate elections.