Pakistan People Party (PPP) & Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML(N)) are preparing for a contest in March for senate elections

Pakistan People Party (PPP) & Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML(N)) are preparing for a contest in March for senate elections. This is going to decide the short term future of the Pakistani politics as the scenarios emerging from these elections will remain on the scene for some time to come. PPP is in a strong position both at the federal level and the provincial level because of a decent number of seats in every province while PML (N) is only represented in Punjab and will have enormous difficulties in making a strong fist of it if it does not find allies in other parties.

PML (Q) holds some cards here as it can tilt the balance of power not only at the federal level but at the provincial level as well and PML (N) will have to decide its future course by either deciding to bargain with PML (Q) or standing against it. Politically, the only way PML (N) could hope to save its government in Punjab and mount a powerful and meaningful opposition at the federal level is by a coalition or outright merger with PML (Q).

Senate elections are important as it is part of the electoral college for the President of Pakistan and given that Mr Zaradri will be President well into the reign of the next government, it becomes critically important to have some semblance of balance of power in the Senate for the next government to operate properly.

One interesting piece of information was reported in the “Daily News” was that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has summoned PML-N Sindh president Ghous Ali Shah in Islamabad on January 22 so that he could be prepared for the senate seat from Punjab. The PML-N has no MPA from Sindh so they could not contest senate elections from the province. This development could be seen as a try by PML (N) to start an early camping for votes in Sindh for next election and having elected senator as the head of the party in Sindh province will help that cause.

Here are some facts about the Senate which might be interesting to you and source for these is Pakistan Election Commission Website:

1. The Senate of Pakistan is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. The Constitution does not give the President of Pakistan the authority to dissolve the Senate (unlike the National Assembly). If the office of the President of Pakistan becomes vacant, or the President is unable to perform his functions, the Chairman of the Senate acts as President until a President is elected.

2. The main purpose for the creation of the Senate of Pakistan was to give equal representation to all the federating units since the membership of the National Assembly was based on the population of each province.

3. The Senate is a body which represents the provinces and territories of the country and promotes a feeling of equality, peace and good understanding between them, which is so essential for the growth and prosperity of a nation. Thus, the Senate in Pakistan, over the years, has emerged as an essential organ and a stabilizing factor of the federation.

4. There are one hundred senatorial seats. There are 18 women Senators; Pakistani Law requires that there be at least 17 women Senators.

Following is the current party position in Senate and once again the source for this information is Pakistan Election Commission’s Website.

· Pakistan Muslim League (Q) 38

· Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal 18

· Pakistan Peoples Party 11

· Muttahida Qaumi Movement 10

· Pakistan Muslim League (N) 4

· Pakhtun-khwa Milli Awami Party 3

· Pakistan Peoples Party (Sherpao) 2

· Awami National Party 2

· Pakistan Muslim League (F) 1

· Balochistan National Party - Mengal 1

· Balochistan National Party - Awami 1

· Jamhoori Watan Party 1

· Independents 8