QUETTA: As many as 13 candidates remained in the field to contest 11 seats of Senate of Pakistan from Balochistan after withdrawal of 20 candidates of different political parties on the last date of the withdrawal of nomination papers, on Wednesday.
The Coalition Partners of the Balochistan government, including Pakistan Peoples’ Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N and Balochistan Awami Party after long consultation and with the approval of their leadership had finalized the list of 11 candidates for their election unopposed.
The leaders of coalition partners including the Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti were making efforts unopposed election of all the 11 candidates and were confident that they would be successful in their plan to elect all candidates unopposed.
According to Provincial Election Commission Balochistan, a total 33 candidates had remained in the field after scrutiny of the nomination preparations and completion of election tribunal’s proceedings about rejection and acceptance of the nomination papers.
However, on the last date 20 candidates withdrew their nomination papers. Now eight candidates, including Saydal Nasar, Agha Shahzeb Durrani of PML-N, Sardar Umar Gorgage (PPP) Ejaz Ahmed, Jan Muhammad Buledi (National Party) Aimal Wali Khan (ANP), Ahmed Khan Khilji (JUI-F) and Anwar-Ul-Haq Kakar (Independent ) will contest on seven general seats.
On two technocrat seats three candidates, including Bilal Khan Mandokhail (PPP), Maulana Abdul Wasey (JUI-F) and Masleh-Ud-Din (PML-N) will contest election on April 2.
However, on the two reserve seats for women from Balochistan only two female candidates remained in the field after withdrawal of five women candidates.
Ms. Rahat Faiq Jamali (PML-N) and Husana Bibi (PPP) were expected to elect senators on two reserved seats for women from Balochistan.
In a dramatic move, Mir Changez Khan Jamali, the Provincial President of Pakistan Peoples’ Party, Balochistan has with his nomination papers been nominated by the Party High Command for a general seat of senate from Balochistan along with other party candidates.
Other prominent candidates who withdraw their nomination peppers include former speaker Balochistan Assembly Ms. Raheela Durrani of PML-N), Kiran Baloch (PPP), Ex-Senator Saeed-ul- Hassan (independent), Ex-Senator Kuhda Babar (BAP), Mobeen Ahmed Khilji (BAP), Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi (JI). Maulana Waseem, Aurangzeb, Nasim ur Rehman, Tariq Hussain, Amanullah Kanrani, Dr. Hussain Islam, Rehmatullah, and Amjad Ali Siddiqui, Mastora bibi, Yasmeen, Mahzeb Bibi , Sana Jamali and Kiran Baloch.