The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday issued the notice and schedule for the presidential elections scheduled to be held on March 9, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
A six-party alliance, set to form a coalition government at the Centre under the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif, has already declared PPP chairman Asif Ali Zardari as its consensus candidate for Pakistan’s top constitutional office.
According to the formula applied for the president’s election in Pakistan, the vote of a senator is considered a single vote, while in the Sindh Assembly, one vote will be equal to nearly four votes, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
With this formula, Zardari will benefit in the presidential elections. Notably, Pakistan’s incumbent president, Arif Alvi, is already on an extended tenure after completing his five-year term on September 9, 2023, according to Dawn report.
According to Article 44(1) of Pakistan’s Constitution, the Pakistani President will hold office for five years from the day he assumes charge. However, he will continue to hold the office until a successor is chosen.
The term-wise data of senators suggests that the PML-N and the PPP will lose a large chunk of their members–69 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively as they will retire on March 11 after completing their tenure, Dawn reported. However, both the PML-N and PPP will be able to add to their tally in the Senate after the elections held on February 8.
(Inputs from ANI)