PPP bags seven Senate seats from Sindh.

Byline: Azfar-ul-Ashfaque

KARACHI -- As predicted, the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party bagged seven, instead of six, Senate seats in disproportion to its numeric strength in the Sindh Assembly because of alleged defections within the rank of a three-party opposition alliance that won four remaining seats on Wednesday.

Amid strict security arrangements taken to avoid recurrence of Tuesday's ugly episode in the house, polling for total 11 Senate seats in Sindh was held peacefully and 167 members exercised their right of vote.

Based on their numeric strength in the 168-strong house, it was expected that the PPP, with 99 votes, would win six seats and the three-party opposition alliance, having 65 votes, comprising Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) would get five seats.

But when the unofficial results came, it appeared that cracks within the opposition favoured the PPP as it won seven seats.

'Disgruntled' PTI MPAs arrive at the house with PPP lawmakers

The ruling party in the province had fielded 11 candidates on all 11 seats but seven of them - five on general seats and one each on seats reserved for women and technocrats - had emerged victorious.

Four of the five candidates nominated by the PTI, MQM-P and GDA won the election on two general seats and one each reserved for women and technocrats. According to unofficial and unconfirmed results, PPP's successful candidates on general seats are Sherry Rehman, Saleem Mandviwalla, Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Taj Haider and Shahadat Awan. Palwasha Khan and Farooq H. Naek won the election on women and technocrat seats, respectively.

The two successful candidates of the joint opposition on general seats are Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari (MQM-P) and Faisal Vawda (PTI). PTI's Saifullah Abro and MQM-P's Khalida Ateeb returned successful on reserved seats for technocrats and women, respectively.

The opposition's fifth candidate, Pir Sadruddin Shah of the GDA, lost the...