PML-N's Asif Kirmani elected unopposed as Senator

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s political secretary Asif Kirmani was returned unopposed as member of the Senate on Thursday after Babar Awan resigned from his seat to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Asif elected on the vacant seat of the Senate unopposed after fellow party man Nauman Ahmad withdrew his nomination and nomination papers of an independent candidate, Sarfaraz Qureshi, were rejected.

The nomination papers of Sarfaraz Qureshi were rejected for being un-certified and unauthenticated.

On June 29, former law minister Babar Awan officially resigned from the Senate while confirming that he had sent his resignation letter to Chairman Raza Rabbani by post.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan People’s Party did not field candidates for the Senate seat earlier won by Babar Awan as a candidate of PPP.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had received nomination papers of Kirmani and fixed August 8 as polling day for the said seat.

Kirmani had formerly served as the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs.

Talking to media after his election, Kirmani expressed his gratitude to the party leadership.

He said: “Every conspiracy against the government will be exposed soon.”