The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday issued final list of candidates for the senate elections, with total 42 candidates left in the field that included 23 on general seats, 7 on technocrat seats and 12 on women seats.
All these candidates in the race for senate seats from Balochistan and technocrat and women reserved seats in NWFP. As many as 11 senate candidates each from the provinces of Sindh and Punjab, 7 on general seats from NWFP and 1 senate candidate on Islamabad's seat have already been elected unopposed.
The final list of senate election candidates in Balochistan has also been issued and accordingly 42 candidates have been left in the field-23 on general seats, 7 for technocrats, 12 on women seats will contest the elections.
The negotiations among the ruling coalition partners along with the PML (N) are underway to reach an understanding Balochistan to bring unanimous candidates from the ruling alliance parties to grab 11 seats.
Balochistan alliance parties PPP, JUI (F), BNP (Awami) and ANP have agreed to bring 10 unanimous candidates on 11 senate seats in Balochistan and for the 11th seat PML Q's candidate will contest against the ruling alliance candidate.
PML N has only one seat in Balochistan assembly, and the PML (N) Quaid and the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already announced his full support for National Party's candidate Hasil Bizenjo. Seven contestants for general seats of the Senate in the NWFP were elected unopposed after three candidates withdrew their nomination papers, while the fourth's nomination papers were rejected by the chief election commissioner. The NWFP Election Commission notified that Sardar Ali Khan, Gulzar Ahmad Khan and Waqar Ahmad Khan of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Haji Muhammad Adeel, Zahid Khan and Abdul Nabi Bangash of the Awami National Party (ANP) and Haji Ghulam Ali of the Jamiat Ulema e Islam Fazl (JUI F) had returned successful.
The three candidates, who withdrew their papers on general seats includeed Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Muhammad Ali Tarakai and Abdul Jaleel Jan, while the CEC rejected the nomination papers of Sardar Tanveer Ilyas that led to the unopposed election of seven candidates.
Out of the total of 11 seats for the NWFP, election will now be held on four reserved seats-two each for women and technocrats.
Five contestants, who are in the run for two seats for technocrats, included Afrasiyab Khattak (ANP), Iqbal Zafar Jhagra (PML N), Dr Abdul Jameel Khan, Ali Gohar and Sardar Hussain (independents).
Likewise, four candidates, who will be trying their luck for two reserved seats for women, are Farhat Abbas (PPP), Shahida Begum (JUI F), Farah Aqil Shah (ANP) and Aneesa Zeb (PPP Sherpao). Half of 100 senators will retire on March 12 after completion of their six year term. Senate elections would be held on March 4.