The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially scheduled the Senate by-elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for July 21, 2025, to fill 11 vacant seats. The vacancies emerged due to resignations, disqualifications, and the dissolution of seats following recent political shifts in the province.
According to the ECP, 16 candidates are contesting the general category. Party-backed candidates include Atta-ul-Haq (JUI-F), Talha Mehmood (PPP), and Niaz Ahmed (PML-N).
A strong lineup of independent candidates has also emerged, featuring senior political figures such as Murad Saeed, Azam Swati, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Faisal Javed, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, and Dilawar Khan, among others. Some of these names are former senators and federal ministers.
For the two seats reserved for women, four candidates are in the running. Rubina Khalid and Rubina Naz are contesting on PPP tickets, while Ayesha Bano and Mahwish Ali are standing as independents.
Meanwhile, six candidates are competing for the two seats reserved for technocrats and religious scholars. Dilawar Khan represents JUI-F, while Khalid Masood, Irshad Hussain, Azam Swati, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, and Waqas Ahmed Qazi are contesting independently.
The KP Assembly members will vote in this by-election, which holds strategic political significance amid ongoing national political developments. The outcome could affect the Senate’s future composition and power balance, especially ahead of expected legislative activity.