PTI Boycotts From Sindh Senate Election

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) declared a boycott of the forthcoming Senate elections in Sindh, slated for April 2, citing extensive allegations of rigging.

During a press briefing in Karachi, PTI representative Haleem Adil Sheikh accused the election process of being tainted by rigging. He highlighted discrepancies, noting that successful candidates, as per Form 45, are not adequately represented in the Sindh Assembly, suggesting manipulation of results documented in Form 47, which has led to PTI-backed candidates’ losses.

Read more: PTIs Murad Saeed and Azam Swati Cleared For Senate Elections

Sheikh revealed that six PTI-supported candidates intended to participate in the Senate polls in Sindh but have chosen to abstain from the elections.

Expressing dissatisfaction, he asserted, “The current government is on the verge of defeat. Despite winning 180 seats in the general elections, many were unjustly taken away.”

Earlier in the week, 14 candidates withdrew their nominations for the Senate elections in the province, allowing the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to secure one of the uncontested women’s Senate seats.

The PPP has put forward 11 candidates, while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has nominated a single candidate.

Included among the PPP candidates are Syed Masroor Ahsan, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, and Rubina Qaimkhani.

The MQM-Pakistan’s sole nominee for the general Senate seat is Amir Waliuddin Chishti.

Furthermore, an independent candidate, Faisal Vawda, supported by the MQM-P, is also competing for a general seat in the Senate from Sindh.

Independent candidates, backed by the PTI — Mehjabeen Riaz, Ali Tahir, and others — had submitted nomination papers for the Senate elections in the province.

The polling for seven general seats in the Senate from Sindh, including those for technocrats, women, and minorities, is scheduled to occur at the Sindh Assembly on April 2, from 9 am to 4 pm.