PPP urges MQM-P to withdraw candidate for senate seat

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday urged Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to withdraw its candidate for the vacant Senate seat, ARY News reported.

The seat became vacant following the death of PPP’s Senator Taj Haider.

A total of four nomination papers were submitted for the by-election to a general seat of Senate from Sindh province.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s Waqar Mehdi and Asif Khan while MQM-Pakistan’s Mujahid Rasool and Nighat Mirza submitted their nomination papers.

PPP reached out to MQM-P, hoping to secure the seat unopposed with their support.

In this regard, provincial minister Saeed Ghani met with the Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Ali Khurshidi, in his chamber.

Ghani requested Khurshidi to urge MQM-P to withdraw MQM-P candidates in favor of PPP.

The meeting also included a discussion on the overall political situation in the province, with a focus on urban issues in Sindh and their potential solutions.

Local government matters and the controversial canals issue were also addressed.

MQM leaders Iftikhar Alam, Taha Ahmed, Najam Mirza and Moid Anwar also attended the meeting.

Ali Khurshidi stated that he would consult with the party leadership and respond accordingly. The PPP is now awaiting a reply from MQM-P.

According to the schedule issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, April 19 was the second and last day for the receipt and submission of nomination papers for the vacant general seat of the Senate from Sindh province.

PPP founding member and General Secretary Senator Taj Haider passed away in Karachi earlier this month after a brief illness.

Haider was one of the founding members of the PPP and held various positions within the party, including general secretary and chairman of the party’s Central Election Monitoring Cell.

Taj Haider had been elected as a Senator multiple times and his most recent term was set to end in 2027.

Notably, MQM-P and PPP both voted in favour of former federal minister Faisal Vawda in Senate polls on April 2 last year.