Special assistants and advisers feature heavily on PTI’s senate shortlist

According to details, the ruling party's parliamentary board has finalized the names of the candidates and sent its recommendations to Prime Minister Imran Khan for approval.

From Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, names of Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz, Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Sania Nishtar, Mohsin Aziz, Hameed-ul-Haq and Shahzad Gull has been finalized.

From Punjab, the party has decided to nominate Advisor for Commerce, Textile, Industry and Production and Investment of Pakistan Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill, Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar, Saifullah Niazi, Akbar Yousaf, Federal Minister and Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan for Climate Change Amin Aslam and Kamil Ali Agha.

From Islamabad, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Overseas Communication Zulfi Bukhari, Adviser to Prime Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan and Amir Mughal will contest senate elections, while on seats of women, names of Neelofar Bakhtiar, Nighat Mehmood and Neelum Arshad have been finalized.

Final decision on candidates from Sindh and Balochistan will be taken after discussions with alliance parties.

Earlier while speaking to media, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the rate of one seat of upper house of Parliament is between Rs. 500 million to Rs. 700 million.

“If the upcoming elections of Senate are not held through open vote, the opposition parties will cry foul as we can secure more seats through secret voting,” he added.