ISLAMABAD:( The COW News Digital)-The coalition government ruling at the centre has shifted its focus to the 11 Senate seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aiming to secure a two-thirds majority in the upper house as well, after already achieving a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly following a Supreme Court verdict that closed the chapter on reserved seats in their favour.
The ECP on Wednesday officially announced that it has reinstated 19 reserved seats in the National Assembly, 25 in the KP Assembly, 27 in the Punjab Assembly, and three in the Sindh Assembly, bringing the total number of restored reserved seats to 74.
With the latest additions, the ruling coalition now has 235 seats in a House of 333, with the opposition limited to just 98.
This development has once again shifted the political spotlight entirely to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has begun preparations to conduct the long-delayed Senate elections in the province.
The commission has also withdrawn the notifications issued on July 24 and July 29, 2024, moving for Senate elections delayed for about 16 months due to the matter of National Assembly reserved seats being sub judice.
The PML-N led coalition government requires 65 votes to accomplish two-third majority in the Senate. It needs six seats from KP to reach 65 up from 59 seats. Likewise, the opposition seats in the Senate will also be up to 37 from the existed 26 if it wins all the 11 seats.
Meanwhile, total members in the KP Assembly are 145, with opposition and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Suni-e-Itahad having 52 and 93, respectively.
If all 145 members of the KP Assembly cast their vote for 11 senate seats, each candidate would be requiring minimum 13 votes from the provincial assembly members
