Saleem Mandviwalla to be inducted in Sindh cabinet after Senate retirement: sources

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has commenced preparation for the forthcoming Senate elections, ARY News reported.

As per sources, the PPP leadership has started consultation with other party leaders regarding the awarding of tickets to candidates for upcoming Senate elections.

Seven senators of PPP from the Sindh Assembly will retire in March after completing their tenure. The Senators who will retire in March include Rehman Malik, Raza Rabbani, Farooq H Naek, Sherry Rehman, Saleem Mandviwalla, Sassui Palijo and Gianchand.

Sources told ARY News that PPP is mulling to award tickets to some retired Senators for the next elections. Those retired Senators who will be awarded tickets to contest upcoming elections include Sherry Rehman, Farooq H Naek and Saleem Mandviwalla.

It was learnt that Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla will be given an important portfolio in the provincial cabinet after his retirement from Senate.

Meanwhile, Senator Sassui Palijo likely to be given a portfolio in the Sindh cabinet after her retirement form Upper House.

Senators set to retire in March 2021  

Top members from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will be among the 52 Senators set to retire on 12 March 2021 after completion of their six-year tenure.

According to details, Rehman Malik, Raza Rabbani, Farooq H Naek, Sherry Rehman, Saleem Mandviwalla will be among seven top PPP lawmakers set to retire after completing their tenure.

Usman Kakar from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), Abdul Ghafoor Haideri from JUI-F, independent candidates Sajjad Turi, Momin Afridi, Taj Afridi, and Aurangzeb Orakzai will be among the retiring Senators.

Read More: PTI approaches PML-F for joint strategy on Sindh by-polls, Senate elections

From PML-N, their top Senators including Pervaiz Rashid, Raja Zafarul Haq, Mushahid Ullah Khan, Javed Abbasi, Kulsoom Parveen, Prof Sajid Mir and Saleem Zia will also superannuate.

Six members of the PTI including Mohsin Aziz, Information Minister Shibli Faraz, Noman Wazir, Prof Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani, and Zeeshan Khanzada will also complete their six-year-tenure of Senate in March 2021.

Sitara Ayaz of ANP, Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo, Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi and Dr. Ashok Kumar of National Party, and Sarfaraz Bugti of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) are also among some of the prominent lawmakers set to retire.