- ECP issues code of conduct, violators may imprisonments and fines
- PML-N eyes 29 seats; PPP loses nine seats; PTI seeks at least six seats
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalised the preparations for the Senate polls as the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies of the country are all set to elect 52 lawmakers for the upper house of parliament on Saturday.
According to the ECP, four senators will be elected on general seats from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); eleven new members of Senate would be elected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan each; and twelve each from Sindh and Punjab. Sindh and Punjab have additional slot of minority member, which is filled in KP and Balochistan.
Additionally, two senators will be elected from the federal capital as well—one to a General seat and one to either a Woman or Technocrat/Ulema seat.
While the total term for a senator is six years, half of the Senate retires after every three years. 52 senators who were elected in 2012 are slated to retire in March’s second week this year, while the ones elected in 2015 will retire in 2021.
These polls depend on the party positions in the provincial assemblies as well as the NA. Four provincial assemblies vote for their representatives, whereas the FATA senators are elected by the MNAs from the tribal areas, while the Islamabad senators are chosen by the members of the National Assembly.
Extensive security arrangements have been made in the federal capital for Senate polls in Islamabad, with Rangers and Frontier Corps personnel deployed in the premises of the Parliament House. All voters are required to reach the polling stations through a given passage. It may be mentioned here that media personnel have reportedly been banned from entering parliament for security reasons.
ECP’S CODE OF CONDUCT:
Per the ECP’s code of conduct, no one would be allowed exclusive entry into the polling station and the use of mobile phone is also prohibited. According to a circular issued by the ECP, confidentiality of the ballot paper and vote must be ensured. It also strictly prohibits taking any election information out of the station.
Those not abiding by the code of conduct may face up to two years of imprisonment and a fine up to Rs100,000, said the ECP as it warned against the manipulation of ballot papers.
The election watchdog further said that it may use its discretion to impose any or all penalties to those breaking the rules.
Moreover, the ECP authorised the returning officers (RO) to work as magistrates during the time of polling, adding that they have the right to call off the voting or render it void if they come across any attempts to disrupt order or compromise the electoral process.
The ROs can instantly hold trials and announce penalties for any person involved in forgery or manipulation of ballot papers. The RO may also use their discretion to cancel any ballot papers if they believe them to be manipulated.
PML-N:
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which has been left with 18 senators as nine of its lawmakers will be retiring, is looking forward to benefitting from the polls from Punjab Assembly where the party has a two-thirds majority.
However, the party faced a setback following a Supreme Court’s decision that annulled the decisions made by its former chief, Nawaz Sharif, including the nomination of Senate candidates.
Subsequently, the candidates were not allocated party symbols and they have to contest the elections as independents. But soon after elections, they might join the PML-N. However, it may be noted here that this also leaves PML-N vulnerable to horse-trading as candidates are not legally bound to vote for the independents in spite of being backed by the PML-N.
The PML-N eyes almost all 12 seats from Punjab, though its major rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is trying to clinch one seat from Punjab. However, even if PTI wins one seat, the PML-N can easily win other eleven seats, taking its tally to 29 in the house. PML-N can also win one seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly where the party has 16 lawmakers. Earlier in the day, the PML-N entered into an alliance with Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, the ruling party is set to suffer in Balochistan Assembly where the ruling party is the biggest political group with 21 MPs. However, rebels in the party may take a lion’s share out of the eleven seats due to differences with the central party leadership. Even if the ruling party manages to win four seats from Balochistan, it would be a great success.
From Sindh, the party can’t win any seat whatsoever.
PPP:
Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), the second majority party in Senate, will be the biggest loser as 18 of its 26 senators are set to retire, leaving the party with eight lawmakers in the house. However, the party leadership plans to re-elect at least nine senators from the Sindh Assembly.
The party is down on luck in Punjab, KP or Balochistan assemblies where it has no or little strength. However, PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari has made tall claims of winning seats from KP and Balochistan assemblies. Following his claims, he is also being accused of horse-trading by the PTI, PML-N and others.
PTI:
PTI, which has only six senators, will try to consolidate its strength by winning at least six or seven lawmakers this time, which may take its strength to 12.
Other smaller parties will also try to make gains, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) which may win three seats from Balochistan Assembly and one seat from KP. This would help the party sustain its strength of five in the Senate.
