PM Imran Khan to review distribution of Senate tickets after controversy: sources

• Premier convenes emergency PTI parliamentary board meeting
• Sources says the premier will consult party leaders on the issue of tickets in the Senate elections
• Final decision on distribution of tickets will be taken within next 24 hours

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan convened an emergency meeting of the PTI parliamentary board on Monday after party workers objected to the distribution of tickets in the Senate elections.

Sources said the premier consulted party leaders on the issue of tickets in the Senate elections at the board meeting and indicated that some decision might be changed. 

PTI's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter raised objections over the nomination of Najibullah Khattak, while PTI Sindh said they had a problem with the selection of Faisal Vawda and Saifullah Abro.

PM Imran Khan stressed that all tickets will be issued on the basis of merit, adding that he respects the wishes of his party's members and that parachuters will not be made senators, sources added.

Read more: Senate polls: After Balochistan fiasco, Sindh PTI leaders object to award of ticket to Vawda, Abro

Sources said that the final decision on the distribution of tickets is expected to take within the next 24 hours.

What is the controversy over the Senate tickets?

Senate tickets being given to Federal Minister Faisal Vawda and wealthy construction contractor Saifullah Abro has created a rift among PTI leaders from Sindh. They have written a letter to Sindh Governor Imran Ismail over it.

The ruling party has been under fire from its provincial chapters in Sindh and Balochistan for awarding Senate tickets to Vawda and Abro.

Earlier, the central party leadership withdrew the Balochistan Senate ticket from business tycoon Abdul Qadir after backlash and issued it to Zahoor Agha.

Read more: PTI takes back Balochistan Senate ticket from Abdul Qadir after members cry foul

Encouraged by the Balochistan fiasco, key party leaders from three zones of rural Sindh approached the governor on Sunday to show their anger and demand the party’s high command to take back tickets from Vawda and Abro.

In the letter, PTI office-bearers from three regions said they were “extremely disappointed with the entire process” of the selection of PTI's candidates for the Senate polls.

The PTI leaders from rural Sindh asked to review the allocation of the Senate tickets from Sindh and said the decision will harm the party in the upcoming local government polls.