Senate elections: NA speaker decides to issue production orders for arrested lawmakers

• Arrested lawmakers will be brought to Islamabad on March 2, say sources
• Request for the production orders of Shehbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif, Ali Wazir Khan and Khursheed Shah have been sent to the speaker, say sources
• Senate polls will be held on March 3
  

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ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has decided to issue production orders for parliamentarians so that they can vote in the upcoming Senate elections, confirmed sources. 

Read more: ECP extends date to file nomination papers for Senate polls till February 15

Sources from the leader of the Opposition's office told Geo News that production orders for those who are currently in jail will be issued, adding that it is the right of every parliamentarian to vote. 

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and former foreign minister Khawaja Asif are the notable PML-N lawmakers who are in jail. 

On the other hand, PPP's Khursheed Shah and MNA Ali Wazir Khan are also under arrest. Sources confirmed that production orders for the four parliamentarians have been sent to the speaker. 

The parliamentarians will be brought to Islamabad on March 2, a day before the Senate polls are held. 

Senate election: Election Commission asks FBR, NAB, SBP to verify candidates' data

ECP announces Senate polls for March 3 amid voting controversy

A few days earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released the schedule for the Senate elections, according to which the polls will be held on March 3.

According to the ECP, the last date for filing of nomination papers is February 13. This will be followed by a scrutiny process for the nominations which will be completed by February 12 while the last date for filing of appeals against acceptance or rejection of papers is February 18.

The date for disposal of appeals is February 20 and the revised list of the contestants will be issued later on February 21 while the candidates can use option of withdrawal of candidature till February 22.

The Senate elections will be held on 48 seats on March 3. This is the breakdown:

2 Islamabad seats

11 Punjab seats

11 Sindh seats

12 KP seats

12 Balochistan seats