Senate polls: PML-N announces support to PPP's Yousaf Raza Gillani

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has announced to support Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani in Senate elections, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The decision was taken after a meeting between PML-N senior vice-president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Yousaf Raza Gillani to hold consultations to field a joint candidate of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

Sources told ARY News that both leaders held discussions regarding the nomination papers of Gillani.

Read: PPP workers collect money for Farhatullah Babar’s deficient election fee

Two former premiers including Raja Pervez Ashraf and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi acted as proponent and seconder in the candidate’s paper.

It emerged that Raja Pervez Ashraf is the proposer of Gillani, whereas, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi acts as seconder in the nomination paper.

Earlier in the day, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah visited the election commission office in Karachi today amid submission of nomination papers of Pakistan People’s Party’s candidates for Senate.

The chief minister was accompanied by Senator Sherry Rehman, provincial minister Imtiaz Shaikh and Jameel Soomro.

Read: ECP refuses to entertain PPP reservations on Senate election schedule

People’s Party candidates for Senate from Sindh, Sherry Rehman, Saleem Mandviwala, Taj Haider and Farooq H. Naik submitted their nomination papers to the election commission.

From Punjab, the son-in-law of former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf, Raja Azeemul Haq will contest the Senate elections.

Yesterday, it emerged that PPP had contacted Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leadership to discuss fielding a joint candidate of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Punjab.

The Senate polls are scheduled to be held on March 3.