Islamabad, Pakistan is gearing up for its Senate elections scheduled for April 2, where 48 seats are up for grabs. This electoral exercise comes as 52 senators are set to retire after completing their six-year terms, marking a significant turnover in the country’s legislative body.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the retirement of these senators and clarified the structure of the upcoming elections. The four seats that will not be contested belong to the erstwhile tribal areas, which were integrated into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the 25th Constitutional Amendment, leading to their abolition in the Senate.

The upcoming elections will fill seats across several categories and provinces: seven general seats, two seats for women, and two for technocrats/Ulema in each of the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. Additionally, the non-Muslim community will see representation through two seats, one each from Punjab and Sindh. The capital territory of Islamabad is also set to elect two senators, one from the general category and one from the technocrat/Ulema category.

The Election Commission is expected to release the detailed election schedule on Thursday, offering a roadmap for the nomination and election processes. Prospective candidates are advised to collect nomination papers from the Election Commission’s Secretariat in Islamabad or the respective provincial commissioners. The submission of nomination papers is slated for the end of this week, with detailed procedures and additional information available through the Commission’s helpline.

As Pakistan prepares for these crucial elections, the political landscape is poised for transformation, reflecting the evolving dynamics of governance and representation in the country.