ECP appoints returning officers for Senate election

• Islamabad MNAs to elect one general and one seat for technocrats.
• MPAs to elect members against seven general and two women seats.
• They will also elect two members on technocrats' seats. 

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has appointed returning officers (ROs) in Islamabad and the four provinces for the conduct of the Senate election, likely to take place in the first week of April.

According to a notification issued by the election watchdog on Sunday, ECP Director General Training Saeed Gul will be the Returning Officer (RO) in the federal capital, whereas provincial election commissioners Aijaz Anwar Chohan, Sharifullah, Shamshad Khan, and Muhammad Farid Afridi will be returning officers in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, respectively.

Members of the National Assembly will elect one general seat and one seat for technocrats, including Ulema from the federal capital, Radio Pakistan reported. 

The ECP  also called upon members of the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to elect members against seven general seats, two women seats and two seats for technocrats, including Ulema from each province and one seat for non-Muslims each from Punjab and Sindh which are going to be vacant after expiration of term of incumbent senators tomorrow (Monday).

By-polls on six vacant seats on Thursday

In addition to this, the by-election on six vacant seats of the Senate will be held on Thursday (March 14).

According to the election regulator, polling will be held at the upper house of parliament as well as at Sindh and Balochistan assemblies in Karachi and Quetta.

These seats in the general category fell vacant in the federal capital, two in Sindh and three in Balochistan as senators relinquished their seats, following their election as members of the National Assembly as well as provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan.

Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri have joined the lower house of parliament after winning the recently concluded general elections.

Similarly, Nisar Ahmed Khoro and Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar were elected to the Sindh Assembly, whereas Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai and Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti became members of the Balochistan Assembly.