PTI boycotts Senate election in Sindh

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday announced a boycott of the upcoming Senate elections in Sindh scheduled for April 2, alleging widespread rigging.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi on Sunday, PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh asserted, "Senate elections are being won through rigging." He pointed out that individuals who emerged victorious according to Form 45 are not represented in the Sindh Assembly, hinting at accusations that PTI-supported candidates lost due to alleged manipulation of election results recorded in Form 47.

Sheikh stated that six PTI-backed candidates were slated to participate in the Senate polls in Sindh but have opted to boycott the elections.

Expressing discontent, he claimed, "The current government is facing defeat. Although we secured victory in 180 seats during the general elections, a majority of them were unjustly taken away."

Earlier on Wednesday, 14 candidates withdrew their nomination papers for the Senate elections in the province. Following these withdrawals, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is poised to secure one of the two Senate seats reserved for women uncontested.

The PPP has nominated 11 candidates, while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has fielded a solitary candidate.

Among the PPP candidates are Syed Masroor Ahsan, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, Jeean Khan Sarfaraz Rajar, Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Dost Ali Jessar, Ashraf Ali Jatoi, Sarmad Ali, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Poonjo, Qurat-ul-Ain Marri and Rubina Qaimkhani.

The sole MQM-Pakistan contestant for the general seat of the upper house of parliament is Amir Waliuddin Chishti.

Additionally, an independent candidate, Faisal Vawda, supported by the MQM-P, is also vying for a general seat in the Senate from Sindh.

Independent candidates backed by the PTI — Mehjabeen Riaz, Ali Tahir, Mir Raja Khan Jakhrani, Abdul Wahab, Manzoor Ahmed Bhutta, and Bhagwan Das — had also submitted nomination papers for the Senate polls in the province.

The polling for seven general seats — including two seats for technocrats, two seats for women, and one seat reserved for minorities in the Senate from Sindh — is scheduled to take place at the Sindh Assembly on April 2, from 9 am to 4 pm.