Voting is currently underway in the Punjab Assembly for the Senate seat vacated by the disqualification of PTI leader Ejaz Chaudhry, with the government-backed candidate, Rana Sanaullah, positioned as the clear frontrunner.
Ejaz Chaudhry was disqualified following his conviction for his role in damaging government property, military installations, and martyrs’ memorials during the May 9, 2023 PTI protests. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and the Election Commission officially terminated his membership in July 2025.
The opposition has nominated Chaudhry’s wife, Salma Ijaz, as their candidate. She holds the support of 100 votes, which includes 73 from the Sunni Ittehad Council, 24 from PTI, and one each from Tehreek-e-Labbaik, Muslim League Zia, and Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen. However, the opposition has announced a boycott of the voting process.
Government Alliance and Candidate’s Majority Support
The government alliance, consisting of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Iqbal Pakistan Party, and PML-Q, has nominated Rana Sanaullah for the seat. Sanaullah enjoys the support of 263 votes, which is well above the 180 votes required to win.
The alliance’s majority is composed of 229 votes from PML-N, 16 from PPP, 7 from Iqbal Pakistan Party, and 11 from PML-Q, giving it a commanding lead in the Punjab Assembly.
Polling Details and Opposition’s Stance
Polling is being conducted from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the new building of the Punjab Assembly, under the supervision of the Election Commission. The Assembly currently has 363 active members, as six PTI members have been disqualified and two others have yet to take their oath. So far, 129 votes have been cast, with voting expected to continue uninterrupted until 4:00 p.m.
Deputy Opposition Leader Moin Qureshi stressed that PTI members should abstain from voting, stating that participation would be a violation of party policy. Despite the boycott, Salma Ijaz’s nomination papers remain valid as the withdrawal period has expired.
