The parliamentary committee had ordered all candidates to temporarily suspend submission of nomination papers.
A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporter waves the party’s flag at a rally. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will formally announce its candidate and candidate for the vacant Senate seat today, party leader Junaid Akbar said in a statement on Monday.
In his post, Akbar wrote, “The parliamentary committee will formally announce its nominee and candidate for the vacant Senate seat tomorrow (Monday). Therefore, all workers are directed not to submit their nomination papers on Monday.”
پارلیمانی کمیٹی کا پہلا اجلاس منعقد ہو ہے۔ پارلیمانی نشست کے لیے اپنے امیدوار اور کورنگ امیدوار کا باضابطہ اعلان کرے گی۔ لہٰذا، تمام کارکنان کو ہدایت دی جاتی ہے کہ کل ہمارا کوئی بھی کارکن اپنے کاغذاتِ نامزدگی جمع نہ کرائے۔ پارلیمانی کمیٹی کے اعلان کے…
– Junaid Akbar (@JunaidAkbarMNA) April 5, 2026
He added that the nominated candidates will submit their papers on Tuesday, ensuring a coordinated and strategic approach by the party for the upcoming Senate elections.
The development comes as sources within the PTI said the party has plunged into a full-blown internal conflict over its lone Senate seat in the upcoming by-elections, with nearly a dozen party members throwing their hats in the ring.
The vacancy arose after the PTI senator-elect was disqualified before even taking the oath, sparking what many experts describe as a “civil war” within the party over the prestigious seat. The contest has sparked heated debates on social media, with workers and leaders arguing fiercely over who deserves the ticket.
Read more: PTI caught over ticket splitting in Senate
According to sources, several prominent figures have submitted applications for the ticket, including former provincial minister Shaukat Yousafzai, Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem, Faizur Rehman, Salarzai, Sajjad Bangash, Rasool Gul, Rahmat Kundi and several others.
A war of words has also broken out between the party’s top leaders. Many workers and mid-level leaders are demanding that the nomination go to a candidate who has made significant sacrifices for the party and for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan schedule, nomination papers will be filed on April 6 and 7. PTI sources said aspiring candidates will file their nomination papers during these two days, and the parliamentary board is expected to announce its final choice a day before the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
