KP Opp devising strategy for Senate polls

Islamabad
Opposition parties in the Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa (KP) Assembly would initiate formal negotiations in next couple of days after behind-the-scene contacts for some time to come up with a joint strategy for Senate elections against PTI-led ruling coalition, sources told The News here Friday.
"It would definitely be a daunting task for the Opposition to develop consensus for jointly contesting the Senate elections but countering the numerical strength of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is the common ground among all of them that may act as catalyst in this respect," the sources said.
The sources said the Opposition parties would try to agree on a joint strategy till February 28, last date for withdrawal of candidature and if it happens then it can cause loss of at least one Senate seat to PTI.
The sources said the provincial level leadership of the Opposition parties has already made necessary contacts with one another and a little bit understanding has also been developed especially between Pakistan Muslim League-N and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F that have 17 seats each in 124-member KP Assembly.
They said other political parties that lack required numbers of provincial seats like Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) are also anxiously looking for a joint strategy that can enable them to get some 'share' in the Senate elections.
It is pertinent to mention here that the opposition parties have 54 members in the KP Assembly including PML-N 17, JUI-F 17, QWP 10, ANP 5 and PPPP 5.
Any candidate contesting the upcoming Senate elections will need at least 18 votes to win on general seat from KP while there is no set number of votes required to win the seats reserved for technocrats, women and non-Muslims, with candidates securing the highest number of votes being declared successful in the elections.
PML-N Chairman Senator Raja Zafarul Haq told The News that initial contacts

have been made with all opposition parties in the KP Assembly and next two days would be vital because formal negotiations may start at the highest level.
“At the moment I am hopeful that the opposition parties would formulate a joint strategy for the Senate elections because all of them showed a will in this respect during the initial talks,” he said.
To a question, he said his party strongly opposes horse trading that is why it wants to talk to other parties for a joint strategy to curb those elements who want to use money in the elections.
MPA Saleem Khan of PPPP told this correspondent that if the opposition parties get united then they would achieve better results otherwise every party has the right to contest the Senate elections on its own.
He said his party is continuously making contacts with other political parties and something tangible may appear before final date for withdrawal of the candidature.
Talking to The News, Senator Zahid Khan of ANP said his party enjoys cordial relations with all the opposition parties and would definitely become part of any effort that is aimed at formulating a coordinated plan for the Senate elections.
“The people have seen that those who were talking about use of money in the Senate elections have awarded tickets to ‘rich’ and ignored their party workers. Our party is the party of workers and we would take every decision keeping in view their interests,” he said.