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ISLAMABAD: With just two days remaining until the election of the Senate Chairman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have sped up consultations to appoint the candidate of their choice.

In last-minute meetings, the PML-N has secured the support of MQM senators as well with all allies affirming support for whichever candidate PML-N backs. 

The election for Senate Chairman will be held on March 12, but neither the ruling PML-N nor the opposition parties are in a position to claim the numbers game with absolute certainty.

There are a total of 104 members of the Senate. 53 votes are needed to elect a chairman and deputy chairman.

PML-N's numbers

Currently there are 33 PML-N members in the Senate, and if you add the party?s alliances: 5 senators of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), 5 of the National Party, 4 of the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and 1 from Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), then the count goes up to 48.

The PML-N and its allies claim that they are ahead in the numbers game, and are certain of support from 5 senators of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), 2 out of 8 from FATA, 1 from ANP and 1 from Balochistan National Party (Mengal).

If the PML-N indeed gets support from these 9 senators, then the party will have a total of 57 members. 

A day ago, both the factions of the MQM-P appeared willing to support PML-N. To cross the number 53, support from FATA senators will be important, who demanded the post of deputy chairman in their meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi earlier.

Today, the FATA senators will meet with PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif.

PML-N meeting

An important session of the PML-N, chaired by Nawaz Sharif, was held in Islamabad on Saturday and was attended by PM Abbasi, Raja Zafarul Haq, Mushahidullah Khan, Amir Muqam, Shah Mohammad Shah and Musadiq Malik.

The meeting discussed the matter of the election of Senate chairman and deputy chairman and devised a strategy accordingly. Reports from the allies as well as the opposition parties were presented during the meeting.

PPP consultations

According to sources, the PPP has started consultations for a Plan B after getting rebuffed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Sources claim that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is playing a key role in the party's Plan B and it is only after Raza Rabbani's meeting with Bilawal that work on the plan has picked up pace.

Meanwhile, Asif Ali Zardari has also sought support from Jamat-e-Islami (JI).

Senate session on March 12

President Mamnoon Hussain has summoned a session of the Senate on March 12, in which newly-elected senators will be sworn in at 10am.

Nomination papers for Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be submitted on the same day, in the Senate Secretariat.

The nomination papers will be reviewed at 2pm on March 12, and another session will be summoned at 4pm on the same day, where the chairman and deputy chairman will be elected.

Following the election, the Senate chairman will take oath, and will then swear in his deputy.

After the oath-taking, the session will be adjourned until further notice.