The deadline for submitting nomination papers for the Senate elections in Punjab has passed, with a total of 28 candidates vying for the 12 available seats.
Among them, 17 candidates have submitted papers for the seven general seats.
Key figures like Talal Chaudhry and Mohsin Naqvi are among those who filed nomination papers for the general seats. Additionally, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ijaz Minhas, Waleed Iqbal, Waseem Shahzad, Ahad Cheema, Parvez Rasheed, and Hamid Khan have also entered the fray for general seats.
For the two women's seats, a total of five candidates have submitted their papers, including Sanam Javed, Faiza Ahmed, and Anush Rehman.
Furthermore, three candidates have submitted papers for the two seats designated for technocrats, with notable names such as Dr. Yasmin Rashid and Mustafa Ramday.
Lastly, Tariq Javed and Asif Ashiq have submitted their nomination papers for the minority seat.
In Sindh, the submission of nomination papers for the upcoming Senate elections witnessed active participation, with a total of 35 candidates throwing their hats into the ring.
Among these submissions, 21 nomination papers were tendered for the seven general seats allocated for the Senate elections in the province. Additionally, there were six nominations for the two women's seats and five nominations for the two technocrat seats designated for the Senate polls.
Furthermore, three candidates stepped forward to submit their nomination papers for the lone minority seat up for contention in the Senate elections in Sindh. This significant turnout reflects the keen interest and engagement of political stakeholders in the democratic process.
In Balochistan, a total of 36 candidates have submitted nomination papers for 11 Senate seats.
Among them are former Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, Aaimel Wali Khan of Awami National Party, former Caretaker Provincial Minister Amanullah Kanrani, former Senators Kohida Babar and Naseebullah Bazai, while former Federal Minister and Provincial Amir of Jamiat Ulema islam Maulana Abdul Wasi, Peoples Party.
National Party Central Secretary General Jan Buledi, Genghis Jamali, Member of Balochistan Assembly Rahila Durrani, Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, Saeedul Hasan Mandukhel have also submitted their nomination papers for the Senate.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as many as 42 candidates have been submitted their nomination papers for Senate Election 2024.
According to a spokesperson from the provincial election commission, a total of 10 candidates have officially submitted their nomination papers for the two Technocrat and Scholars seats. Notable figures among them include Azam Khan Swati, Qazi Muhammad Anwar Advocate, Waqar Ahmad Qazi, Dr. Hammad Mehmood Cheema, Khalid Masood, Fazal Hanan, Dilawar Khan, Qaizar Khan, Noorul Haq Qadri, and Syed Irshad Hussain.
Similarly, 25 candidates have filed their papers for the seven General seats. This list includes prominent names such as Irfan Saleem, Muhammad Talha Mehmood, Dilawar Khan, Faisal Javed, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Azhar Qazi Mashwani, Niaz Ahmad, Waqas Orkazai, Fazal Hanan, Asif Iqbal, Azam Khan Swati, Murad Saeed, Faizur Rehman, Khurram Zeeshan, Attaul Haq, Masoodur Rehman, Shafqat Ayaz, Asif Rafiq, Mahmood Khan, Noorul Haq Qadri, Muhammad Naseem, Sajjad Hussain, Taj Muhammad Afridi, Ahmad Mustafa, and Fida Muhammad.
Additionally, seven candidates have submitted their papers for the two Women seats. Among them are Mehwish Ali Khan, Ayesha Bano, Rubina Naz, Rubina Khalid, Shazia, Syeda Tahira Bukhari, and Hamida Shahid.
Earlier, founder chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, had given his approval for the selection of candidates for the upcoming Senate elections.
The list includes prominent PTI members, with 14 names finalized directly by Imran Khan himself. Among them are Murad Saeed, Faisal Javed, and Mirza Muhammad Afridi, who will contest for general seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Additionally, Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zeeshan, and Azhar Mashwani are among the candidates. For technocrat seats, Azam Swati and Irshad Hussain have been nominated, while Ayesha Bano and Rubina Naz have secured tickets for women's seats.
In Punjab, Hamid Khan and Zulfi Bukhari have been selected as candidates for general seats, with Yasmin Rashid nominated for the technocrat seat. Sanam Javed will represent PTI for the women's seat from Punjab.
The approval of these candidates by Imran Khan underscores PTI's commitment to fielding strong contenders for the Senate elections, aiming to strengthen the party's representation in the upper house of parliament.
