2019 Pakistani Senate election

2019 Pakistani Senate election was held on March 3, 2019, to elect half of the members of the Senate of Pakistan, the upper house of the Parliament of Pakistan. The election was contested by candidates from various political parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The election was also significant as it was the first time that the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) (BNP-M) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were contesting the election as separate entities, after the 2018 Pakistani general election.

Background

The Senate of Pakistan is a permanent legislative body, consisting of 104 members, with each member serving a six-year term. The Constitution of Pakistan stipulates that the Senate shall have equal representation from all four provinces of Pakistan, with 23 members from each province, as well as eight members from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and four members from the Federal Capital. The election was held to replace 52 retiring members, including Raza Rabbani of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Mushahid Hussain of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q), and Talha Mehmood of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was led by Imran Khan, while the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) was led by Shehbaz Sharif, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Election Schedule

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the election schedule on January 24, 2019, with the nomination papers to be filed by February 5, 2019. The candidates were required to submit their nomination papers to the Returning Officers in their respective provinces, including Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also announced that the election would be held through a single transferable vote system, as per the Constitution of Pakistan. The Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Rangers were deployed to maintain law and order during the election, particularly in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Karachi.

Candidates

A total of 135 candidates contested the election, including Shibli Faraz of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Raja Zafar-ul-Haq of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), and Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) fielded candidates, including Farooq Sattar and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, while the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) (BNP-M) fielded candidates, including Akhtar Mengal and Javed Ahmed. The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also fielded candidates, including Sirajul Haq and Kamran Khan. The Awami National Party (ANP) fielded candidates, including Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour.

Results

The results of the election were announced on March 4, 2019, with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerging as the largest party in the Senate of Pakistan, winning 14 seats. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won 12 seats, while the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) won 10 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) won three seats, while the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) (BNP-M) won two seats. The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) won one seat, while the Awami National Party (ANP) won one seat. The election was also significant as it marked the entry of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) into the Senate of Pakistan, with the party winning two seats.

Aftermath

The election was widely seen as a significant victory for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which had emerged as the largest party in the Senate of Pakistan. The Imran Khan-led party was able to secure the support of several independent candidates, including Mohammad Azam Khan Swati and Faisal Javed Khan. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) were able to maintain their presence in the Senate of Pakistan, despite losing several seats. The election was also significant as it marked a new era of politics in Pakistan, with the 2018 Pakistani general election having brought about a significant change in the country's political landscape, with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerging as the largest party in the National Assembly of Pakistan. The Senate of Pakistan would play a crucial role in shaping the country's legislation, including the Constitution of Pakistan, and the election would have a significant impact on the country's politics, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces. Category:2019 elections in Pakistan