2024 Pakistani Senate election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox election
| country = Pakistan
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2021 Pakistani Senate election
| previous_year = 2021
| election_date = 2 April 2024
| next_election = April 2027
| next_year = 2027
| seats_for_election = 48 out of 96 seats in the Senate of Pakistan
| majority_seats = 49
| turnout =
| previous_mps =
| next_mps =
| elected_mps =
| image_size = 130x130px
| image1 = 100px
| leader1 = Yusuf Raza Gilani
| leader_since1 = 2021
| party1 = Pakistan Peoples Party
| color1 =
| leaders_seat1 = General Islamabad
| seats1 = 24
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 3
| last_election1 = 21
| seats_needed1 = {{increase}} 28
| image2 = 100px
| leader2 = Ishaq Dar
| party2 = Pakistan Muslim League (N)
| leader_since2 = 2022
| leaders_seat2 = Technocrat Islamabad
| seats2 = 19
| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 2
| last_election2 = 17
| seats_needed2 = {{increase}} 32
| image3 =
| leader3 = Syed Ali Zafar
| leader_since3 = 2021
| party3 = IND
small (backed by (PTI)
| leaders_seat3 = Technocrat Punjab
| seats3 = 17
| seat_change3 = {{decrease}} 10
| last_election3 = 27
| seats_needed3 = {{increase}} 22
| map_image = 2024 Pakistan Senate election results.svg
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map =
| map_caption = Map of Pakistan showing Senate seats.
| title = Chairman
| before_election = Sadiq Sanjrani
| before_party = Balochistan Awami Party
| after_election = Yusuf Raza Gilani
| after_party = Pakistan Peoples Party
| posttitle = Elected Chairman
}}
Elections for the Senate of Pakistan were held on 2 April 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-11 |title=Senate elections on 48 seats to be held on April 2 |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/534513-senate-elections-on-48-seats-to-be-held-on-april-2 |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=Geo.tv |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-03-12 |title=Senate elections on April 2 |url=https://pakobserver.net/senate-elections-on-april-2/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=Pakistan Observer |language=en-US}} Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were postponed by the ECP.
52 out of 100 incumbent Senators including 4 FATA senators retired after completing their 6 year terms. After the merger of FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the remaining 4 out of 8 seats were also abolished.{{Cite web |title=Abolition of Fata seats: Senate's numerical strength to be reduced after tribal areas merger |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/768055-abolition-of-fata-seats-senate-s-numerical-strength-to-be-reduced-after-tribal-areas-merger |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}} 48 seats from four Provinces and the Federal Capital were up for election, including the seats for which the election was postponed.
Background
The previous Senate elections on these seats were held on 3 March 2018. As a result of these elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) became the largest party in the Senate as it won the most seats, securing 18 of the 48 senate seats up for election; of which 10 came from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5 from Punjab, 2 from Sindh, and one from Islamabad. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) came in second by winning 8 seats, of which 7 were won in Sindh and one in Islamabad. The Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) was declared victorious on 6 seats - all from Balochistan. Finally, the Pakistan Muslim League (N) lost its majority in the Senate as it could only manage 5 seats from Punjab against 16 retiring senators.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-03 |title=PTI makes substantial gains in Senate but suffers major setback in lslamabad |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1609919 |access-date=2021-03-13 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}
After the results were declared, much of the focus was on the Islamabad General seat won by PPP's Yousaf Raza Gillani where he beat PTI's incumbent finance minister, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, by a margin of 5 votes.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-03 |title=Yousaf Raza Gillani beats PTI's Hafeez Shaikh in Senate race |url=https://pakobserver.net/yousaf-raza-gillani-beats-ptis-hafeez-shaikh-in-senate-race/ |access-date=2021-03-13 |website=Pakistan Observer |language=en-US}} Although, Gillani was the opposition's joint candidate, he still did not have the required majority unless those on the treasury benches voted for him or intentionally voided their votes in the secret ballot. This fact, coupled with the leaked video of his son, led to PTI petitioning the Election Commission of Pakistan against his victory.{{Cite web |title=PTI approach ECP to stop Gilani's Senate victory notification |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/800089-pti-approach-ecp-to-stop-yousuf-raza-gilanis-victory-notification |access-date=2021-03-13 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}
Meanwhile, Gurdeep Singh of the PTI became the first Sikh to be elected to the Senate of Pakistan as he won the minority seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.{{Cite web |last=Jamal |first=Sana |title=PTI's Gurdeep Singh makes history by becoming first Sikh to win elections in Pakistan Senate |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/ptis-gurdeep-singh-makes-history-by-becoming-first-sikh-to-win-elections-in-pakistan-senate-1.77604364 |access-date=2021-03-13 |website=gulfnews.com |date=4 March 2021 |language=en}}
Abdul Qadir, who had won as an Independent from Balochistan, later joined the PTI, increasing the tally of the party to 26 in the Senate.{{Cite web |title=Senator-elect Abdul Qadir joins PTI, reposes confidence in PM Imran Khan |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/801552-senator-elect-abdul-qadir-joins-pti-reposes-confidence-in-pm-imran-khan |access-date=2021-03-13 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}
Results
= Results by Administrative Units =
Below are the results by administrative unit. Elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were postponed due to the refusal of the Speaker of its Provincial Assembly to administer oaths to opposition members elected on reserved seats, which he claimed to belong to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.{{Cite web |last=Hayat |first=Arif |last2=Ahmed |first2=Shoaib |last3=Siddiqui |first3=Tahir |last4=Guramani |first4=Nadir |last5=Hakeem |first5=Abdul |date=2024-04-02 |title=Coalition sweeps polls on 19 Senate seats |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1825232 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}
class="wikitable"
|+ ! colspan="8" |Punjab |
Seat Type
! colspan="7" |Winners |
---|
General
|style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Ahad Cheema (PMLN) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Nasir Butt (PMLN) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Pervaiz Rasheed (PMLN) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Talal Chaudhry (PMLN) |style="background:{{party color|Sunni Ittehad Council}};color:white"|Hamid Khan (SIC) |style="background:{{party color|Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen}};color:white"|Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri (MWM) |style="background:{{party color|Independent}}"|Mohsin Naqvi (IND) |
Technocrat
| colspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Muhammad Aurangzeb (PMLN) | colspan="4" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Musadik Malik (PMLN) |
Women
| colspan="4" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Anusha Rahman (PMLN) | colspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Bushra Anjum Butt (PMLN) |
Minority
| colspan="7" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Khalil Tahir Sandhu (PMLN) |
class="wikitable"
|+ ! colspan="8" |Sindh |
Seat Type
! colspan="7" |Winners |
---|
General
|style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Ashraf Ali Jatoi (PPP) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Dost Ali Jessar (PPP) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto (PPP) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Syed Kazim Ali Shah (PPP) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Syed Masroor Ahsan (PPP) |style="background:{{party color|Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan}};color:white"|Aamir Chishti (MQM–P) |style="background:{{party color|Independent}}"|Faisal Vawda (IND) |
Technocrat
| colspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Sarmad Ali (PPP) | colspan="4" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Zamir Hussain Ghumro (PPP) |
Women
| colspan="4" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Quratulain Marri (PPP) | colspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Rubina Qaimkhani (PPP) |
Minority
| colspan="7" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}}; color:white"|Poonjo Mal Bheel (PPP) |
class="wikitable"
|+ ! colspan="8" |Balochistan |
Seat Type
! colspan="7" |Winners |
---|
General
|style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Agha Shahzaib Durrani (PMLN) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Syedaal Khan Nasar (PMLN) |style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}};color:white"|Sardar Umar Gorgaij (PPP) |style="background:{{party color|Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)}};color:white"|Ahmed Khan Andarh Khilji (JUI (F) |style="background:{{party color|National Party (Pakistan)}};color:white"|Jan Muhammad Buledi (NP) |style="background:{{party color|Awami National Party}};color:white"|Aimal Wali Khan (ANP) |style="background:{{party color|Independent}}"|Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (IND) |
Technocrat
| colspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}};color:white"|Bilal Khan Mandokhail (PPP) | colspan="4" style="background:{{party color|Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)}}; color:white"|Abdul Wasey (JUI (F)) |
Women
| colspan="4" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white"|Rahat Jamali (PMLN) | colspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}};color:white"|Hasna Bano (PPP) |
class="wikitable"
|+ ! colspan="2"|ICT |
Seat Type
!Winners |
---|
General
| style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Peoples Party}};color:white" |Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan (PPP) |
Technocrat
| style="background:{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}};color:white" |Ishaq Dar (PMLN) |
Aftermath
On 9 April 2024, Yusuf Raza Gilani of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Syedaal Khan Nasar of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)), both being candidates of the treasury benches, were elected unopposed to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman positions respectively. They replaced Sadiq Sanjrani of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Mirza Muhammad Afridi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The opposition PTI boycotted the election, arguing for its postponement until after Senate elections were held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.{{Cite web |last=Guramani |first=Nadir |date=2024-04-09 |title=Yousaf Raza Gillani clinches Senate chairmanship as PML-N’s Syedal Khan Nasir secures deputy role |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1826671/yousaf-raza-gillani-clinches-senate-chairmanship-as-pml-ns-syedal-khan-nasir-secures-deputy-role |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}
On the same day, Ishaq Dar of the PML(N) was appointed as Leader of the House in the Senate, a position he has held since 30 September 2022. On 22 April, Shibli Faraz of the PTI was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, replacing Shahzad Waseem, also of the PTI.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-04-09 |title=Dar appointed leader of the house in Senate |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2462203/dar-appointed-leader-of-the-house-in-senate |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-04-22 |title=Shibli Faraz appointed new opposition leader in Senate |url=https://humenglish.com/latest/shibli-faraz-appointed-new-opposition-leader-in-senate/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=HUM News |language=en}}