Hafeez Sheikh vs Yousaf Raza Gillani Islamabad Senate Election 2021 Results and Live updates check here Sindh, Balochistan and KPK . Pakistan is all set for the high-stakes Senate polls today with polling scheduled from 9am to 5pm.
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Senate Election 2021
Lawmakers are casting votes in one of the most contested Senate elections in the country, where transparency of the electoral process has become a key issue.
MPs are voting on 37 vacant Senate seats with 11 senators elected unopposed from Punjab. Now the voting is carried out for 12 seats each from Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11 from Sindh and two from the federal capital.
According to Geo News, 318 votes out of 341 have been cast as of 02:15 pm in the National Assembly.
Controversies surrounding the Senate polls
The government has been accusing the opposition of being involved in illegal activities by using money to win votes, while the opposition blames the ruling PTI for raising the issue of open voting because he is not sure of the loyalty of his lawmakers.
The blame game escalated Tuesday when a video surfaced of Ali Haider Gilani, son of Pakistan Democratic Movement Senate candidate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, in which he was allegedly telling PTI AMPs how to discard votes.
The PPP leader, however, has admitted that he was in contact with PTI members who approached him for help.
Another audio from Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah was widely shared on social media where he was allegedly speaking to PTI’s MPAs about the Senate election. However, the minister denied having spoken to them and referred the matter to Ali Gilani.
Gilani vs. Shaikh
An epic encounter is expected in the National Assembly for the Islamabad seat, where PPP stalwart and PDM candidate Yusuf Raza Gilani competes against ruling party candidate Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.
The current strength of the National Assembly is 341 (one seat – NA-75 is vacant) and the ruling party’s candidate apparently has the support of 180 MNA.
Shaikh’s contender, Gilani, has the support of 161 MNAs, including 83 from the PML-N, 55 from the PPP and 15 from the MMA and the rest of related parties such as ANP, BNP and three out of a total of four independents.
Gilani has run a strong campaign. Since the vote is secret, Gilani enjoys the advantage of hidden support from the MNAs, who have been his former colleagues, friends of his or those who are upset with the government.
In terms of the experience of connectivity with MPs and as a politician, Gilani is visibly far above Shaikh. When contacted, Gilani said that “democratic forces” were with him.
