The government and opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have reached a near-final consensus on a power-sharing formula to field uncontested candidates across all 11 Senate seats from the province in a major political development ahead of the Upper House elections.

According to sources, a formal announcement of the agreement is expected soon. The breakthrough aims to curb horse-trading and ensure a peaceful electoral process for the Senate elections scheduled for July 21.

Power-sharing formula finalised

As per the agreed formula:

Out of 7 general seats, 4 will go to the government and 3 to the opposition
Out of 2 technocrat seats, one each will be allotted to the government and opposition
Out of 2 women seats, one each will be assigned to the government and opposition

In total, the government will secure 6 seats, while the opposition will receive 5 seats.

Opposition leader confirms agreement

Opposition Leader Dr. Ibad confirmed that the formula had been accepted by both sides. "The government has agreed to our proposal. Some reservations regarding certain candidates have also been resolved," he said, adding that a formal announcement will be made soon.

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He emphasized that the agreement sends a “positive message” from the province, promoting political maturity and cooperation.

Reserved seats distribution completed

Ahead of the Senate vote, the process of distributing reserved seats in the provincial assembly has been completed. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have demonstrated growing cooperation.

In a goodwill gesture, the PML-N handed over the minority seat to JUI-F without holding a toss, resulting in Baba Gorpal Singh's victory.
A toss was held between the ANP and PTIP for a women’s reserved seat, which was won by ANP’s Shahida Waheed.

Assembly session on July 20

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has signed the summary to convene the KP Assembly session on Sunday, July 20 at 9am, where newly elected members on reserved seats from PML-N, JUI-F, and PPP will take oath. An official notification has been issued by the KP Assembly Secretariat in this regard.

Updated assembly composition

The updated strength of the provincial assembly is as follows:

PTI-backed independents: 51 members
JUI-F: 18 members (now second-largest party)
PML-N: 17 members
PPP: 10 members
ANP: 4 members
PTI (Parliamentary Party): 3 members
Other independents: 2 members

Despite having numerical advantage, the Leader of the Opposition remains from the PML-N, showcasing unity within the broader opposition alliance.