Voting to elect 11 members to the Senate from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa concluded on Monday at the provincial assembly amid heightened political temperature and party negotiations over seat distribution.
The seat distribution arrangement agreed upon between the provincial government and the opposition came about successfully. Both sides managed to win the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the ruling side getting six seats and the opposition five. Of the seven general seats, PTI secured four, while the opposition won three.
According to the results, the PTI's Murad Saeed, Faisal Javed, Noorul Haq Qadri, Mirza Afridi managed to win general seats in the Senate. The PML-N's Niaz Amir also managed to grab a general seat.
PTI’s Rubina Naz and PPP’s Rubina Khalid won the elections on women’s reserved seats. Rubina Naz secured 89 votes, while Rubina Khalid received 52 votes.
Moreover, PTI’s Azam Swati and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Dilawar Khan have been elected to the Senate on technocrat seats. As per the initial count, Azam Swati received 89 votes, while Dilawar Khan secured 54 votes.
Senate election results (Unofficial)
GENERAL SEATS
| Candidate Name | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Murad Saeed | PTI | 26 |
| Faisal Javed | PTI | 22 |
| Noorul Haq | PTI | 21 |
| Mirza Afridi | PTI | 21 |
| Niaz Amir Muqam | PML-N | 18 |
| Maulana Attaul Haq Darwaish | JUI | 18 |
| Talha Mahmood | PPP | 17 |
WOMEN'S SEATS
| Candidate Name | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Rubina Naz | PTI | 89 |
| Rubina Khalid | PPP | 52 |
TECHNOCRAT SEATS
| Candidate Name | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Azam Swati | PTI | 89 |
| Dilawar Khan | JUI | 54 |
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), polling began at 11am and was initially scheduled to continue until 4pm. However, the voting time was later extended to 5:30pm.
At the time of conclusion of polling, all 145 members of the assembly cast their votes, with the chief minister being the last to do so. A total of 22 candidates contested for 11 seats. Both the government and opposition participated in the elections under a 5-6 seat-sharing formula.
The Jirga Hall of the KP Assembly was designated as the official polling station, with two booths set up to facilitate the process.
As per the ECP's final list, 16 candidates contested for seven general seats, five candidates for two technocrat seats, and four candidates for two women’s seats. However, several withdrawals reshaped the contest, particularly among the ranks of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
PTI, the ruling party in KP, fielded prominent candidates, including Murad Saeed, Mirza Afridi, Faisal Javed, and Allama Noorul Haq Qadri. Their rivals included Attaul Haq from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Talha Mehmood representing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Niaz Muhammad, the son of party stalwart Amir Muqam. Other contenders included Asif Rafique, Azhar Qazi Mashwani, Dilawar Khan, and Shafqat Ayaz, while independents Faizur Rehman and Muhammad Azam Swati were also in the running.
Dissent within PTI continues
Despite efforts by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to manage internal divisions, not all disgruntled PTI candidates stepped down.
While Irfan Saleem, Waqas Orakzai, and Ayesha Bano announced their withdrawal — reportedly after reaching an understanding with the chief minister — Khurram Zeeshan did not withdraw and remained in the race.
Contests for women and technocrat seats
Three candidates contested for the two women’s seats: PPP’s Rubina Khalid, PTI’s Rubina Naz, and independent candidate Mehwish Ali. The list still included PTI’s Ayesha Bano despite her withdrawal.
For the technocrat seats, five names were on the ballot: PTI’s Azam Swati and JUI-F’s Dilawar Khan being the primary contenders. Disgruntled PTI figures Syed Irshad Hussain, Khalid Masood, and Waqar Ahmed Qazi were also listed, though at least one of them was believed to have stepped down.
Ballot complications and official clarification
The ECP clarified that the names of candidates who withdrew after the official deadline of 12pm on Sunday still appeared on the ballot paper with the word “retired” stamped next to them to avoid confusion during voting.
Media barred from coverage
The election commission had enforced a complete ban on media coverage of the polling process. Vehicles were restricted at the assembly gate, and journalists denied access to the premises. The KP Assembly Secretariat confirmed the ECP directive, following which media crews staged a sit-in outside the assembly building.
