Peshawar, July 21, 2025: Voting for Senate elections in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly was underway on Monday, with 83 lawmakers casting their ballots by 3:00 PM, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Prominent figures who voted include former KP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Salim Swati, and several minority and women lawmakers.
The polling, being held under the supervision of the ECP, will continue until 4:00 PM. Each Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) is entitled to cast three votes — one each for the general, technocrat, and women’s seats, using white, green, and pink ballot papers, respectively.
To win one of the seven general seats up for grabs, a candidate must secure at least 19 votes. For the reserved technocrat and women’s seats, a minimum of 49 votes is required.
In an unusual show of political consensus, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government and the opposition have jointly fielded a total of 11 candidates — six backed by the government and five by the opposition.
The PTI-led coalition currently holds the support of 92 MPAs in the provincial assembly, while the opposition commands the backing of 53 lawmakers. The opposition is hoping to secure three of the seven general seats but would require at least four additional votes to clinch the third.
Vote counting will begin shortly after the polling ends at 4:00 PM, and results are expected to be announced following the completion of the count by the ECP.
