Pakistan Senate Elections: Ruling PML-N takes lead followed by PPP

The ruling PML-N, having bagged 15 seats in the upper house elections on Saturday, has secured the dominant role in the Senate of Pakistan.

The PML-N candidates contested as independent ones after the court verdict in electoral reforms case. However, the PMLN backed candidates despite the fact they won as independent, will definitely be in the discipline of the party in the upper house.

The ousted prime minister's daughter Mariam Nawaz in her tweet said that the PMLN became the single largest party in the Senate.

PMLN now the single largest party in Senate as well, Masha'Allah. #SenateBhiSherKa #SenateElections2018

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) March 3, 2018

According to the unofficial and provisional results, PML-N enjoyed a clear lead in the number of seats won (15), with PPP (12 seats won) following close behind after 'outperforming' expectations. The PTI managed to secure six as its expected number of seats.

Former finance minister Ishaq Dar also won the Senate technocrat seat from Punjab Assembly. Other successful PML-N back candidates include Dr Asif Kirmani, Nuzhat Sadiq, Saadia Abbasi, Haroon Khan, Shaheen Khalid Butt.

Successful candidates from PPP include Raza Rabbani, Maula Bux Chandio, Mohd Ali Shah Jamote, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. Dr Sikander Mandhro and Rukhsana Zuberi won the technocrat seats while Anwar Lal Dean won the seat for minorities. Quratulain Marri and Krishna Kolhi won the election for the reserved seat for women.

PTI managed to bag five seats on its home turf, with Ayub Afridi, Faisal Javed and Fida Muhammad successfully bagging a general seat each. PTI candidate Mehar Taj Roghani was elected to one of the women's seats.

Pakistan's Senate is a body of 104 lawmakers. Each serves a term of six years, barring resignation, disqualification, or other extraordinary circumstances. They are not all elected at the same time: rather, half are elected at one time, and the other half three years later.

In 2018, 52 senators (who were elected in 2012) have retired. The other 52 were elected in 2015 and will retire in 2021. Of the 52 Senate seats being vacated for election on Saturday, 46 were filled by the four provincial assemblies, 2 by the National Assembly, and 4 by lawmakers representing Fata.