Swati’s resignation opens field for ANP

Being the single largest party in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Awami National Party (ANP) is likely to win the coming election for the Senate seat vacated by Azam Khan Swati having 48 members in a house of 124 seats. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) sources believe Swati resigned from his Senate seat and party membership upon the assessment that we would lose the next Senate election. Three JUI-F senators, including Maulana Gul Naseeb, Talha Mahmood and Azam Khan Swati were to retire in March 2012 but the latter resigned before completing his term. According to provincial assembly statistics, which is the Electoral College for the election, the ruling coalition comprises ANP, PPP and independents having 48, 30 and 2 seats respectively. On the other hand, the opposition has 44 seats in the House. The JUI-F which lost the seat as a result of Swati’s resignation is no more in a position to retain it as it has 15 seats against 48 ANP seats.
All provincial assembly members will votes for one seat and the successful candidate will need 63 votes. Upon contact, KP Senior Minister Bashir Bilour said he was hopeful he would win the seat but the ANP had not confirmed its candidate. He said a party meeting to discuss the nomination had not been held. He said the impression that he and his brothers were mulling joining the PML-N was false.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the polls for the Senate seat vacated by Swati will be held at the KP Assembly Building in Peshawar on January 4 where Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) will elect to one member from the province against the seat reserved for Technocrats and Ulema, which had fallen vacant with effect from 9 December after Swati’s resignation. Intending candidates may submit their nomination papers on December 20 and December 21. Moreover, December 29 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature. JUI-F sources the low strength of the JUI-F in the KP assembly had led to Swati’s resignation. They said the party leadership was likely to nominate Maulana Gul Naseeb as its candidate for the next term. “Swati had already resigned… Talha Mahmood will be dropped against Maulana Gul Naseeb,” a party source said. Reports suggest Talha Mahmood is also set to quit JUI-F and joint another political party to become candidate in the next general elections.
Three JUI-F’s senators from Balochistan, including Dr Ismail Buledi, Rehmatullah Kakar and Sabina Rauf are also retiring on March 12, 2012 and the party is hopeful of retaining two seats from the province. In Balochistan, JUI-F has 10 seats. Rehmatullah Kakar is likely to be dropped in the next senate elections.