PESHAWAR: As Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf intensified its last ditch efforts to woo disgruntled workers, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said here on Sunday that seat adjustment with opposition for Senate elections was aimed at thwarting horse-trading in the polls.

Party insiders told Dawn that negotiations with disgruntled candidates were under way at the time of filing of this report. A party source said that it was a reality that those, who got PTI tickets, were not Imran Khan’s candidates and the ticket allotment was manipulated. He said that setback in polls would be humiliating for PTI and it would damage the party.

He said that they made some headway in convincing the disgruntled candidates to withdraw their candidacies.

Despite the ruling PTI’s success to avoid the administration of oath to 25 MPAs-elect on reserved seats inside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly through lack of quorum, the chief minister said that agreement with the joint opposition was intact.

The treasury and joint opposition alliance has agreed on a seat-sharing formula under which six seats will go to treasury, which has 92 members in KP Assembly, and five seats to the opposition, which is 53-strong.

PTI insiders claim ticket allotment manipulated

The opposition would receive five seats, including two seats each for JUI-F and PPP (one general and one technocrat each), and one general seat for PML-N.

Speaking to journalists on the premises of KP Assembly’s building, the chief minister said that agreement with the opposition was limited to Senate elections only. He expressed these views after having a meeting related to the today (Monday) Senate elections to be held in Jirga Hall of KP Assembly.

The meeting was also attended by the leader of the opposition, Dr Ibadullah, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and officials of Election Commission of Pakistan. The meeting was convened to review arrangements for Senate elections.

“Initially we had agreed with the opposition over 8-3 formula which means eight seats for the ruling PTI and three for the opposition,” Mr Gandapur said. However, the seat adjustment formula was changed with the increase of in the number of opposition members in the light of the court’s decision and refusal of some of the PTI candidates to withdraw their nomination papers.

To a question about disciplinary action against the disgruntled PTI candidates, who refused to withdraw from Senate elections, the chief minister said that action would be taken against them for violating party’s decision.

He said that PTI awarded tickets to candidates for Senate elections with the approval of patron-in-chief Imran Khan. He added those resisting the decision were basically denying to accept decision of Imran Khan.

The chief minister said that ruling PTI inked agreement about Senate seats with the opposition as per instructions of Imran Khan.

Sources in PTI told Dawn that agreement with the opposition about seat adjustment and getting only additional seat was inked under compulsion as they were sure that several of their MPAs would sell their votes.

“Some wealthy candidates are contesting Senate elections and buying votes at a high price,” one of the PTI lawmakers told Dawn. He said that it would be very shameful if any PTI candidate was not elected.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2025