Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to retain Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Faisal Vawda for senate seat despite criticism from within and without the ruling party.

In a meeting of PTI's parliamentary board chaired by the Premier on Tuesday, all names shortlisted for senate tickets were reconsidered while criticism on certain candidates were taken into consideration. According to sources, appeals for reconsidering Vawda's ticket from Sindh were rejected.

Sources close to the party have said that Imran Khan, while maintaining the decision to award a ticket to the Karachi based MNA, said that he has rendered many services for the party.

It is expected that on Tuesday evening, the Prime Minister will take Sindh's provincial and national assembly members into confidence via a session on video link, to address their reservations.

The Board also decided to award a ticket Liaquat Tarrakai while the ticket given to Najeeb Ullah Khattak has been rescinded. Both tickets were awarded from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. 

The decision to award a ticket to Vawda has been criticized by the opposition due to an ongoing disqualification case against him in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on his dual nationality. Additionally, officials of PTI's central Sindh region had vocally opposed Faisal Vawda's nomination.

Polls to elect 48 senators will be held on March 3.