(Karachi) Prime Minister Imran Khan has cast vote for Senate polls at the Parliament House as tough competition is expected between the candidates from the government and opposition benches, local media reported on Wednesday.

On the occasion, the premier also interacted with the MNAs of PTI and allied parties. The opposition members present in the hall raised slogans against the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Imran Khan left shortly to his chambers after casting his vote.

The voting process through secret ballot began for Senate elections on 37 seats will continue till 5:00 pm today.

PTI's Shafiq Arain was the first lawmaker who cast his vote in the Senate elections followed by PTI’s Faisal Vawda. National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser also cast his ballot in the Senate polls.

Moreover, PTI’s Omar Ayub and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have also cast their votes. In Balochistan Assembly, Zmarak Khan Achakzai was the first legislator who has cast the vote for Senate elections followed by Nawabzada Mir Tariq Magsi.

Shabbir Bijarani cast the first vote in Sindh Assembly during the Upper House polls. So far, more than 200 lawmakers have cast their votes for the Senate election.

The MPs are voting on 37 vacant seats of the Senate with 11 senators elected unopposed from Punjab. Now the polling is being held for 12 seats each of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11 of Sindh and two of the federal capital.

MPAs from the three provincial assemblies are casting their vote for the candidates fielded from Balochistan, KP and Sindh, while MNAs will choose the representative from the federal capital.

The results are expected to be announced at 6pm for Islamabad seats while in other assemblies the winning candidates would be announced around 7pm.