Election

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019 after presentation of report on it by the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.

The bill was moved in the House by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs which was passed by the House after voice voting.

It is to mention that the bill was laid earlier as an Ordinance in the House and as per Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in National Assembly, an Ordinance laid before the Assembly under sub-rule (1) of rule 170 shall be deemed to be a Bill introduced in the Assembly on the day it is so laid.

The amendment bill sought insertion of section 2A after sub-section 2 in section 20 of the Election 2017.  The new sub-section 2A is as follows “for the purpose of the delimiting constituencies, for the general seats of Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Tribal Areas two or more separate areas may be grouped into one constituency for their elections to be held in 2019 and bye-elections related thereto and thereafter this sub-section shall stand omitted”.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the Election Commission, after 25th Constitutional Amendment, is obliged to conduct elections on 16 general seats of erstwhile FATA including Frontier Regions for the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before July 25, 2019.

In order to avert disenfranchisement of ex-tribal areas including its non-contiguous Frontier Regions, the Commission suggested to insert identical provision for delimitation of general seats of newly allocated Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for erstwhile FATA.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has sought significant changes in the legal framework governing electoral processes in view of enormous challenges the ECP faced during the conduct of the 2018 general elections.

A detailed post-election review report on the 2018 general elections was launched on Monday at a ceremony during which ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad also answered questions of reporters.

Other senior officials of the ECP were also present in the ceremony.

In the report, the ECP highlights achievements made and challenges faced by it during different stages of the election, including delimitation, revision of electoral rolls, appointment of polling staff, printing of ballot papers and introduction of new technology meant for swift transmission of election results.

The post-election review is part of the annual report for 2018.

The report describes as a foremost challenge the provision of inaccurate maps to delimitation committees by revenue departments. “Accuracy of maps was a pre-requisite for error free delimitation. In some cases, maps corresponded neither to revenue record nor the census record. Therefore, the Committee repeatedly returned maps to Revenue Departments / local administrations for necessary rectification,” the report reads.

It says the inconsistencies in revenue record also posed a challenge. There were some serious inconsistencies between revenue record and maps provided by the district administration. “For instance, in some cases the district administration for its convenience divided the area of a large patwar circle among two or more parts, without any notification,” it reads.

The ECP in its report has suggested amendment in Article 51 of the Constitution to provide that fresh delimitation be carried out not later than one year before the completion of the term of the respective assembly. It says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) should prepare digitised maps showing details of locations and legends to avoid overlapping and chance of missing out any area. It says the provincial governments should provide maps strictly in accordance with the notified administrative units for delimitation exercises.

It asks the federal government to take immediate steps for official publication of census reports so that the delimitation for local government elections could be timely carried out.

In the chapter on electoral rolls, the ECP says the process was exceptionally challenging as the PBS provided the requisite data in December 2017 — six months after the expected timeline. It says the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) mentioned incomplete addresses in the national identity cards of citizens, which were reflected in electoral rolls, making it difficult for the verifying officials to locate such voters and even allocation of an appropriate census block code.

It says that non-issuance of NICs to women voters was the prime reason for the gap between male and female voters (over 12.5 million now). The federal government has been asked to issue direction to Nadra for increasing registration of women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), minorities and transgender persons by removing existing challenges and barriers. Directions may also be issued to authorities concerned to simplify processes for PWDs to obtain disability certificate and issuance of NIC with disability logo by Nadra. The federal government may direct Nadra to obtain accurate address of the applicant while filling of form for registration / issuance of NIC.

Sanctity and secrecy of voters

It has been proposed that sections 41 (2) and 79 (3) of the Elections Act may be omitted to preserve sanctity and secrecy of voters. Under these sections candidates and polling agents can obtain hard and searchable soft copy of the final electoral rolls with photographs of voters, including women.

The report recommends that Section 210 of the Elections Act, 2017 be amended to provide the opening of an exclusive account in the name of enlisted political parties and all transactions should be made from the same account and no party fund will be deposited in the account of an individual in any case.

It also suggests amendment in Section 202 of the Elections Act, 2017 to provide that the list of 2,000 members provided by political parties for enlistment shall consist of 20 per cent (400) women members. It also seeks amendment in Section 216 to set a cut-off date for allocation of election symbols to political parties.

“Necessary legislation may be made in the law providing for significant penalty on such political parties whose election symbols are withheld by the Commission for non-compliance of Section 208 (intra party elections) and 210 (submission of assets and liabilities with the Commission)”, the report suggests. It also seeks an amendment in the law to bar withdrawal of a party ticket awarded to a candidate on general seats after submission to the returning officer concerned.

Pointing out that appointment of separate returning officers for national and provincial assemblies created problems in finalisation of polling stations and appointment of polling staff, it recommends necessary amendment in the Act to provide for appointment of one RO for one National Assembly and its corresponding Provincial Assembly constituencies as per past practice. “In such case the number of AROs may be increased to facilitate the ROs”, it says.

The report recommends appointment of experienced officers as ROs and their exemption from their routine office work after issuance of election schedule till conclusion of results.

Observing that there was a general lack of interest and unwillingness for performing election duty; due to heavy administrative responsibility, hardships and the potential of political coercion against a meagre amount of financial benefit, it proposes that the electoral staff be assigned duties nearest to their residences with increased financial incentives.

Referring to the gigantic task of printing millions of ballot papers, it has been recommended that time for holding elections be extended from 60 to 90 days and printing of non-sensitive material be allowed from local open market as the printing capacity of government presses is insufficient.

“Section 71(4) of the Elections Act, 2017 may be appropriately amended to provide for “Paper with security feature” instead of “watermark paper” so that the paper with security feature may be manufactured within the country,” the report reads. It also suggests amendment in the Act to provide for name box in Form A for writing name of the candidate in Urdu as per NIC.

RTS controversy

The report finds a sketchy mention of the Result Transmission System (RTS) controversy that hit headlines soon after the electoral exercise was over and says RTS was 3G / 4G supported software which required availability of internet connectivity (3G / 4G) at 100 per cent polling stations. “Since 3G /4G density was available only at 60 per cent of areas of the country as per PTA, implementation of RTS at all the polling stations was a great challenge for the Commission”, it says.

It says arrangement of mobile devices for use in RTS across the country at more than 85,000 polling stations was a great challenge which involved huge public money. “Training on RTS to presiding officers and Sr. APOs, being non-tech savvy due to generation gap, was also a challenge”, it reads.

The report recommends that introduction of new technology should not be mandatory under the law until it becomes foolproof and practicable in the field.

Answering a question, the ECP secretary said no petition on the alleged expulsion of polling agents had been filed by any party.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought the Punjab government’s assistance in holding of election for the Gujrat Municipal Corporation mayor on Wednesday.

The ECP invoked Article 220 of the Constitution after receiving a report from the Gujrat deputy commissioner citing the district police officer’s information about a purported threat from the militant Islamic State (IS) group to the polling activity.

While the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has 14 of the total 19 seats in the house, political pundits predict a tough contest between the PML-N and PML-Q for the mayor seat that had fallen vacant due to disqualification of PML-N’s Haji Nasir Mehmood by the apex court.

Deputy commissioner writes about purported IS threat to polling activity

Mian Pervez Akhtar Pagganwala of the PML-Q and Tahir Mahmood Maanda of the PML-N are contesting for the slot.

Informed sources told Dawn that the ECP received a letter from the Gujrat deputy commissioner who quoted the Gujrat DPO as saying that there was a threat of a subversive activity from the militant IS group to disrupt the electoral exercise.

The ECP, which had made all the necessary arrangements for the polls, instantly swung into action after receiving the letter. The commission through separate letters directed the Punjab chief secretary and the inspector general of police to take appropriate security measures.

“The Election Commission has taken the matter very seriously and directed that the Government of Punjab fulfil its constitutional responsibility to assist the Commission under Articles 218(3) and 220 of the Constitution of Pakistan in peaceful conduct of election of mayor, Gujarat Municipal Corporation, scheduled to be held on April 17, 2019 by taking adequate security measures to avoid any harrowing incident,” the letter signed by ECP secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad read.

Under Article 218(3) of the Constitution, it is ECP’s duty to organise and conduct the election and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against.

Article 220 reads: “It shall be the duty of all executive authorities in the federation and in the provinces to assist the commissioner and the election commission in the discharge of his or their functions.”

In the house, the PML-Q has three members, its ally Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has one member, while all the remaining 14 belong to the PML-N. However, sources said the PML-Q had succeeded in mustering support of many PML-N members and could stage an upset despite its numerical minority. However, some political observers said the threat alert from the district of influential Chaudhries might be a last-minute attempt to get the polls postponed so that the PML-Q could gain time to garner support of more PML-N members.

ISLAMABAD: The sword of Damocles hangs over the heads of over 4,000 candidates who contested the 2018 general elections but failed to meet the legal requirement of submitting details of election expenses to the returning officers concerned even after the stipulated time frame to do so.

Sources told Dawn that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has designated the district election commissioners (DECs) concerned as authorised officers to file criminal cases against all such candidates with the district and sessions judges seeking legal action for commission of an illegal practice.

The sources said that the offence of illegal practice may entail the maximum penalty of up to two-year imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs100,000.

He said under Section 134 of the Elections Act, a contesting candidate other than the winner is required to submit to the returning officer the returns of his or her election expenses on Form C, within 30 days of the publication of names of returned candidates. He pointed out that under Section 175 (I) a person is guilty of the offence of illegal practice, if he or she fails to comply with Section 134 relating to election expenses.

The aspirants have failed to submit details of election expenses

Section 183 of the Elections Act reads, “A person guilty of the offence of illegal practice shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to one hundred thousand rupees or with both”.

Under Section 136 of the Elections Act, a returning officer is required to issue a notice to the candidates who fail to file requisite returns within the specified period, calling upon them to show cause why proceedings may not be initiated against them. If they do not comply with the provisions of Section 134 despite notices, the returning officers are required to report the matter to the ECP.

On receipt of a report, the ECP is required to issue notices calling upon the candidates to show cause as to why a complaint may not be filed against them for failure to file requisite returns.

Under the law, the candidate may file an application seeking to condone delay in filing the returns along with the return and the ECP may condone the delay, if it is satisfied that such failure was made in good faith due to circumstances beyond the control of the candidate concerned, and accept the return.

The sources told Dawn that after completion of the entire procedure involving issuance of three notices by the ECP action would be taken against over 4,000 candidates across the country who have yet to file details of their election expenses.

They said letters have been issued to the district election commissioners to file complaints against all such candidates after thoroughly going through their own as well as concerned returning officer’s record and file complaints against those in default.

The ECP has asked the DECs to spare those who submit the returns before filing of complaints against them. The DECs have also been sent a specimen for registration of complaints with the district and session judges.

“…The respondent has prima facie under the circumstances committed an illegal practice by not submitting the requisite returns, hence he is liable to be proceeded against under the aforesaid sections of the Act….”, the draft complaint reads. It seeks registration of a complaint against those who failed to make it for further course of action for its disposal in accordance with the Elections Act, 2017.

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Wednesday served notices to the respondents in a petition seeking recounting of votes in PB-41 constituency, Balochistan. Justice Azmat Sheikh said the petitioner had to prove his stance in votes recounting to get relief.

A two member bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh conducted the hearing on a petition filed by a candidate of Balochistan Awami Party Muneeb ur Rehman. The petitioner pleaded that there was only a difference of 350 votes with the winning candidate.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had conducted recounting only at two polling stations, he added. The bench served the notices to the respondents and adjourned hearing of the case.

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Tuesday barred Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from issuing election schedule of PP-217 Multan and to submit whole record of the case.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, heard the case. The bench also said the notification of Muhammad Salman, successful candidate in general election from the said seat, would remain denotified. Rana Waqar, counsel for Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said the winning candidate was denotified over mentioning wrong date of birth in his nomination papers and appealed the apex court to summon the whole record into the matter.

The counsel said the ECP verdict did not base on facts and pleaded the court to suspend it.

The court rejected the plea to suspend the ECP decision on interim orders. Justice Azmat Saeed said the court would decide the matter after reviewing whole record of the case. Later, hearing of the case was adjourned until March 19.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan has said that ECP is committed to supporting women’s participation in elections.

Addressing a function held in connection with International Women’s Day in Islamabad, he said the commission has made a special Gender and Disability Electoral Working Group to include women and marginalized groups in the elections.

The function was attended by NADRA, civil society representatives, gender experts, Academia and other concerned departments.

Other speakers on the occasion lauded the ECP’s commitment and efforts to help close the electoral gender gap.

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday issued a notification of the final report along with list of constituencies pertaining to 16 general seats allocated to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in respect of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

According to a notification, a total of 11 representations were received against preliminary publication of constituencies and the commission had fixed dates of hearings and issued notices to all concerned in this regard.

The hearing process of the representations commenced on February 13, and culminated on February 21. After incorporation of ECP, the final list of constituencies has been published now in accordance with the provisions of section 21 of the Elections Act, 2017 read with rule 14 of the Election Rules, 2017.

The final list of constituencies of the provincial assembly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in respect of erstwhile FATA, specifying the areas included in each constituency on form 7.

It said that for the purpose of the delimitation of constituencies of the Provincial Assembly in respect of 16 general seats allocated to the erstwhile FATA promulgated on 4th June, 2018, a delimitation committee was constituted on August 28, 2018 and also issued timelines for the said activity.

It added as per initial timelines, the preliminary list of constituencies was required to be published by 5th October, 2018 whereas the final publication was scheduled for 5th December, 2018.

However, due to a legal lacuna regarding inclusion of erstwhile Frontier Regions (FRs) in the delimitation or otherwise, an amendment was required to be carried out in the Elections Act 2017, hence the timelines were extended by 30 days each on 8th October, 2018, 1st November, 2018 and 28th November, 2018 consecutively.

In this connection, an ordinance for amendment in section 20 of the Elections Act 2017 was issued by the Federal Government on 1st January, 2019 which enabled the Commission to finalize the work pertaining to the preliminary list of constituencies.

The Commission notified the preliminary report and list of constituencies on 2nd January, 2019 by following the principles of the delimitation of constituencies set out in section 20 of the Elections Act, 2017.

The principles envisaged therein are that all constituencies shall, as far as practicable, be delimited having regard to the distribution of population in geographically compact areas, physical features, existing boundaries of administrative units, facilities of communication and public convenience and other cognate factors to ensure homogeneity in the creation of constituencies.

The notification said to facilitate the general public and for the sake of t transparency of the delimitation process, the preliminary list of constituencies of the provincial assembly pertaining to erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas was also made available on ECP’s official website.

Similarly, the constituency-wise marked maps were also placed on the website to facilitate voters to file representations.

A Facilitation Center was set up at the ECP Secretariat Islamabad to provide copies of marked as well as unmarked maps of the districts and to receive representations from the voters.

In order to make the process of delimitation transparent, fair and just, representations were invited from the voters of the respective constituencies to meet the requirements of Section 21 of the Act.

The detail of constituencies and procedure for filing of representations against the preliminary list of constituencies were given wide publicity through electronic and print media.

MANSEHRA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate Ahmad Hussain Shah won by-election in the PK-30, Mansehra, constituency on Tuesday.

Announcing unofficial results of the by-election, the returning officer said the PTI nominee secured 46,483 votes, while the runner-up was PML-N’s Mazhar Ali Qasim with 39,945 votes.

There were seven candidates, including nominees of political parties and independents, for the PK-30 seat, which had fallen vacant last year after the Supreme Court disqualified PML-N’s Mian Ziaur Rehman in a fake degree case.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had set up 186 polling stations for the by-election.

Addressing a jubilant crowd, Mr Shah thanked voters for electing him and said he would ensure the execution of mega development projects in Balakot.

PTI MNA Salah Mohammad Khan said his party’s by-election victory had showed the people’s support for the federal and provincial governments.

He said the government was striving to improve the people’s socioeconomic conditions.

The lawmaker promised massive development in the region.

Meanwhile, Shaukat Awan was elected naib nazim of Oghi tehsil unopposed on Wednesday after the PTI withdrew its candidate.

“I am thankful to the PTI for withdrawing its nominee in the large public interest. The last election was annulled by the Election Commission of Pakistan as no candidate could secure the minimum 10 votes in the 18-strong house,” Mr Awan told the council, which met to elect naib nazim.

The PTI and Jamaat-i-Islami leaders met before announcing withdrawal of candidate Noorur Rehman as a goodwill gesture towards the JI-led tehsil government.

Returning officer Hamid Khan notified Mr Awan as tehsil naib nazim, who will also hold the office of the council’s convener.

Mr Awan thanked the councillors of both PTI and JI for reposing confidence in him and said he would run the house in a friendly environment.

PESHAWAR: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday warned members of National Assembly, provincial assembly and local bodies against electioneering in favour of their party candidates in bye-election on provincial assembly constituency PK-30 (Balakot)

According to the ECP sources, more than 30 people including the members of Mansehra district

council, tehsil councils and village councils have been warned while the ECP has also taken the affidavits from the PTI Member of National Assembly Saleh Mohammad Khan, PML-N KP member of provincial assembly Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, Balakot Tehsil Nazim Syed Ibrahim Shah that they would not take part in the election campaign of any candidate during the bye-elections.

The ECP code of conduct says that if any of the national, provincial assembly member and tehsil nazim found involved in election campaign they would be fined Rs100,000 or two years imprisonment.

ECP Manshera district monitoring section has taken notice that MNA, MPA, tehsil nazim and local

bodies members are openly campaigning of their candidates in violation of the ECP code of conduct.

ISLAMABAD  –    Local body polls are likely to be held in Balochistan and recently-merged districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa before the upcoming holy month of Ramazan in May, sources said on Sunday.

Sources in Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said that the term of local body governments in Balochistan had expired on January27, and the ECP had started process of delimitations in the province which will be completed in March.

Likewise, the ECP has already geared up the process of debilitations of constituencies in the merged districts of KP.  However, according to some independent sources, the ECP is likely to hold the local body polls in April. The ECP spokesperson was not immediately available to confirm.

Sources further informed that term of local body governments in KP was also expiring soon and the ECP will also hold fresh elections in the province this year. Term of local body governments in Punjab and Sindh provinces are scheduled to expire later this year.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government wanted to introduce such a local bodies’ system which could resolve problems of masses at the grass-root level.

Chairing a meeting regarding enforcement of local bodies system in Punjab and KP and in Islamabad, the PM said that in the new local bodies’ system, the funds would be spent at local level which would end wastage of money and corruption. He said that laws would be enacted in the new system so that the people could do accountability of the development schemes.  Sharing details about the proposed reforms, sources in the PTI confirmed that negotiations on the subject matter were underway in Punjab and KP provinces to finalise the package.

LAYYAH: There has been no legal proceedings in the 14 cases lodged against candidates of different political parties and their supporters for various violations of election code of conduct so far.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had issued the code of conduct for the candidates participating in the general election held in July last year.

To monitor the election campaigns of the candidate and implement the code, monitoring committees headed by the deputy commissioners were established in every district of the province.

For Layyah, the district monitoring committee comprising 13 members was constituted under the then deputy commissioner Rafaqat Ali Naswana.

The committee had lodged 14 FIRs under various sections against the candidates for provincial and national assemblies seats in different police stations of the district.

In this regard, an FIR (No 330/18) was lodged at Layyah city police station against independent candidate for PP-248, Malik Hashim Hussain Sahu under the Punjab Sound System Ordinance. Besides the candidate, 24 unidentified people were also booked in the case.

Similarly, Chowk Azam police registered an FIR (No 364/18) under section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against the supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf provincial assembly candidate for PP-282, besides 80 unidentified persons.

In Tehsil Karor Lal Esan, Karor police lodged two FIRs (No 308 and 309/18) for display of arms by the workers of different political parties.

Chowk Azam police lodged an FIR (No 365/18) under section 188 of the PPC against three identified and 80 unidentified activists of PML-N. Kot Sultan police lodged an FIR (No 161/18) under section 188 of the PPC against the Pakistan Peoples Party National Assembly candidate Malik Muhammad Ramzan.

Similarly, Kot Sultan police entered an FIR (No 162/18) under section 188 of the PPC against PML-N National Assembly candidate Syed Saqlain Shah Bukhari and two others. Another FIR was registered at the same police station against three PML-N activists under Punjab Sound System Ordinance for code violations.

Karor police also lodged an FIR (No 311/18) under Section 188 of the PPC against the PTI NA candidate Haji Abdul Majeed Khan Niazi, who was also booked (FIR No 116/18) under section 188 of the PPC. Mr Niazi’s supporters were also booked by Karor police (FIR No 317 and 392/18) under section 188 of the PPC.

The police also entered a case (No 313/18) under section 188 of the PPC against independent candidate for provincial assembly, Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh.

Layyah city police entered an FIR (No 373/18) under section 188 of the PPC against independent candidate for NA-182 Chaudhry Ishfaq Ahmad.

According to sources, neither the police made any arrests in these 14 cases, nor any of the nominated suspects bothered to secure a bail before arrest. Even investigation process in these cases had not been started, they added.

Police spokesperson Usama Mushtaq maintained that all the FIRs were sealed on the order of “higher authorities”.

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has started a special campaign to create an awareness among female voters about importance of vote.

In an interview with Radio Pakistan a spokesman of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Election Commission, Sohail Ahmed said that seminars and workshops are being conducted in educational institutions across the province.

He said turnout of women voters in the recent general elections was much lower than male voters.

Sohail Ahmed said similar campaign will also be started in tribal districts in wake of elections of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly seats.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday witnessed presentation of the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, aimed at delimitation of general seats of newly allocated Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for erstwhile FATA.

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan laid the Ordinance in the House which sought amendment in Section 20 of the Election Act, 2017.

It asks for inserting new sub-section after sub-section (2) in section 20. The new section namely 2(A) will be as follows: “ For the purpose of delimiting constituencies, for the general seats of Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Tribal Areas two more separate areas may be grouped into one constituency for their elections to be held in 2019, and bye-elections related thereto and thereafter this sub-section shall stand omitted”.

According to Statement of Objects and Reasons, “Pursuant to 25th Constitutional Amendment, the Election Commission is obliged to conduct elections on 16 general seats of erstwhile FATA including FR Regions for the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before July 25, 2019.

The Election Commission of Pakistan is facing great difficulty in delimiting the six ex-Frontier Regions, which have been annexed by the Provincial Government with other adjoining districts.

Section 20 (2) of the Election Act, 2017, provides that the Election Commission may while delimiting constituencies for the general seats in the National Assembly for the Tribal Areas, group two or more separate areas into one constituency.

In order to avert disenfranchisement of ex-Tribal areas including its non-contiguous Frontier Regions, the Commission suggested to insert identical provision for delimitation of general seats of newly allocated Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for erstwhile FATA”

QUETTA: The ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) won the by-election held on Monday on a Senate seat.

Polling began at 9am and continued till 4pm without break amid tight security in and around the Balochistan Assembly.

The seat had fallen vacant after Senator Azam Khan Musakhail of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) passed away last month due to heart failure.

Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, who is secretary general of the BAP, was elected Senator by receiving 38 votes in the 65-member house, while Ghulam Nabi Marri, who was a joint candidate of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), bagged 23 votes.

Mr Kakar was a joint candidate of the BAP, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, ANP, BNP-Awami, Hazara Demo­cratic Party and Jamhoori Watan Party.

According to Provincial Election Commissioner Ghulam Israr, 63 out of 65 votes were polled in the by-election.

Parliamentary leader of the PTI in the Balochistan Assembly Yar Moham­mad Rind and former chief minister Sanaullah Khan Zehri, who were out of Quetta, did not cast their votes, while one vote was rejected.

With the election of Manzoor Kakar, the BAP’s strength in the upper house of parliament reached eight, including Senate Chairman Mir Sadiq Sanjrani.

PkMAP candidate Hanif Khan Musakhail could get only one vote as his party has one member in the Balochistan Assembly.

Syed Ehsan Shah of the BNP-Awami, who is a member of the ruling coalition, did not vote for Manzoor Kakar and supported joint candidate of BNP-M and JUI-F Ghulam Nabi Marri. Independent Aslam Raisani also voted for the BNP-M candidate.

Talking to reporter after the election, BAP president and Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan said the by-election result had proved that the rumours of differences within the ruling alliance were baseless.