PPP, JUI-F huddle to discuss seat adjustments in Senate ahead of polls

• Kundi highlights efforts to build consensus among opposition.
• Governor says move aims at ensuring securing of more seats.
• Senate elections to take place on July 21 at KP Assembly building.
  

ISLAMABAD: As political parties gear up for the upcoming Senate polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have held consultations for seat adjustments between the two parties ahead of the July 21 polls, The News reported on Saturday.

The talks came as PPP delegation led by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi met JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman at his residence. The meeting was also attended by Syed Khursheed Shah and Zahir Shah from the PPP's side, whereas JUI-F was represented by Akram Khan Durrani, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Maulana Asad Mahmood, Zahid Durrani and Asjad Mahmood.

"The meeting held consultations with regard to the Senate elections in KP Assembly,” said a brief statement issued by the JUI-F spokesman

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Kundi said dialogue was a part of the ongoing efforts to build a consensus among the opposition parties to secure more seats in the Senate elections.

The governor emphasised that during the PPP government, steps were taken to curb horse-trading in the Senate elections, adding that political alliances form and dissolve frequently, citing past interactions between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Maulana Fazl as an example of shifting loyalties.

The PPP-JUI-F meeting comes as Senate elections will be held for seven general seats, two seats reserved for women, and two seats for technocrats including Ulema on July 21.

The polling will take place at the provincial assembly building in Peshawar from 9am to 4pm.

In March 2024, the ECP declared in response to the applications of five women MPAs-elect of the opposition parties in the province that if the speaker of the provincial assembly fails to comply with the directions of the high court to administer oaths to the lawmakers elected to reserved seats, it would be compelled to postpone the Senate elections in the province.

As a result, on April 2, 2024 — when Senate polls were held in other provinces and Islamabad — the ECP officially postponed the Senate elections in KP until the oath-taking of the MPAs-elect on reserved seats.

Senate elections were held on April 2, 2024, wherein the ruling coalition clinched 19 seats in the upper house. The PPP took the lead with 11 seats, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) clinched six seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and an independent candidate Faisal Vawda secured one seat each.