PTI finalizes list of Senate nominees

ISLAMABAD: Some noted figures in the Imran Khan government are likely to be awarded the tickets for the upcoming Senate elections, a media report said.

The ruling party’s parliamentary board has finalised a list of potential nominees who will be approved by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

PTI’s anti-corruption wizard Shahzad Akbar, Zulfi Bokhari, Ehsaas program chief Sania Nishtar, Abdul Razzak Dawood, Babar Awan, Saifullah Niazi, Dr Zarqa and Nilofar Bakhtiar are expected to be awarded the tickets for the Senate elections, Geo News reported.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz is being tipped to get the Senate’s ticket again.

The names of advisor to the prime minister on Finance, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Kamil Ali Agha from the coalition parties have been recommended, according to the report.

Article 92 of the constitution puts a cap on the number of Senators who can be appointed as ministers. The article reads: “Federal Ministers and Ministers of State who are members of the Senate shall not at any time exceed one-fourth of the number of Federal Ministers.”

Thus, there cannot be more than seven Senators in the cabinet.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that it will release the schedule for the Senate election on February 11.

It has started distributing nomination papers to prospective candidates.

Nomination papers for the two seats of the Federal Capital Territory can be taken from the ECP Secretariat at the Constitutional Avenue in Islamabad, while nomination papers for provincial seats are available at the offices of the concerned provincial election commissioner.

ECP has advised all political parties and candidates to attach party tickets while submitting nomination papers.