Pakistan People's Party is believed to have awarded the ticket for the Senate of Pakistan to Advisor on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, it is reliably learnt. Hafeez is expected to file his nomination papers for Senate seat on Tuesday. His status was reverted from federal minister to Advisor because the Supreme Court of Pakistan had suspended the elections of 28 members of Provincial assemblies, National Assembly and Senate.
Upon passage of 20th Amendment to the Constitution the election of the 28 suspended parliamentarians would stand restored. APP adds: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will start receiving nomination papers for Senate elections for federal territory, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and four provinces on Monday.
According to the schedule announced by the ECP, the returning officer will continue receiving nomination papers till Tuesday. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be carried out on Thursday and Friday (February 16 and 17). The appeals regarding objections will be disposed off on February 22 and 23 and the final list of candidates will also be announced on February 24.
The elections are being held for 54 seats, including 11 from each province, four Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), two Federal Capital and four minority members (one from each province to be elected for the first time).
Members of the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan will each elect seven members for general seats of Senate, two for seats reserved for women and two technocrats including Ulema. The National Assembly members will elect to Senate one member against general seat and another on seat reserved for technocrats including Ulema, from the Federal Capital.
The National Assembly members from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas will elect to Senate four members against general seats. In addition, Provincial Assembly members of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan will elect to Senate one member on seats reserved for non-Muslims. A total of 50 Senators will retire in March after completing their respective terms, including 11 from each province, four from FATA and two from the Federal Capital.