Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Friday congratulated his MPAs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for securing majority of seats from the province in Thursday's Senate elections. PTI made a clean sweep in KPK with victory of seven Senators, followed by PML-N's two, and each Senate seat by JUI-F, ANP and PPP. According to results, in KP, the ruling PTI bagged six seats, followed by PML-N and one each by PPP, JI JUI-F and ANP.
Those who have become senators on general seats are Shibli Faraz, Mohsin Aziz, and Liaquat Tarakai of PTI, Siraj-ul-Haq from JI, Maulana Ataur Rehman of JUI-F, Salahuddin Tirmizi from PML-N, and Khanzada Khan of the PPP. Samina Abid of PTI and Sitara Ayaz of the ANP won the two seats reserved for women whereas PTI's Nauman Wazir and PML-Ns Javed Abbasi remained victorious on technocrats seats. The seat reserved for minorities has been clinched by John Williams of the PTI.
Yesterday, protests marred Senate elections in KPK Assembly where polling was suspended for over five hours owing to protests, as ruling PTI and opposition accused each other of violating the ECP's code of conduct. "Congratulations to our KP MPAs for resisting lures of money & voting in Senate elections on democratic principles & Party discipline. Congratulations to all our successful candidates from KP," Khan said through a recognised Twitter account. He claimed his party awarded tickets on merit.
"PTI is only party that gave tickets on merit and to people belonging to KP province. PTI has shown that if leadership is not corrupt & stands on principles then members of the party will also adhere to the same," he said on Twitter. Khan criticised overnight issuance of a presidential ordinance that prompted protest from FATA lawmakers. "The midnight Presidential Ordinance altering FATA Senate voting hours before election was to begin a familiar tactic of Sharifs' to stop fair play."
"PM Sharif's lack of seriousness about Senate elections reflected in his sudden visit to KSA on eve of elections after being summoned by King," he said. "PTI the first party to raise the issue denounce vote buying & horse trading that had become acceptable norms in Senate elections. PTI demands that there must be direct elections to the Senate to rid us of the plague of massive vote purchasing & horse-trading," Khan said in his message on Twitter.