Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has selected Ghulam Badshah, who serves as the driver for Bushra Bibi, as one of the covering candidates for the Senate seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) that became vacant after former senator Murad Saeed was disqualified. This move comes amid ongoing consultations between the opposition leadership and PTI regarding the upcoming election for the vacant general seat.
The party has officially granted its ticket to Irfan Saleem as the main candidate, while Badshah has been named as a covering candidate. Additionally, Sajjad Mohmand has also been included as another covering candidate. Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas had proposed Akhundzada Hussain Yousafzai for the seat; however, PTI’s parliamentary board rejected his nomination and finalized Saleem as the candidate.
Some party members reportedly expressed concerns over Saleem’s nomination due to issues related to the May 9 cases. Insiders revealed that PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and leader Salman Akram Raja initially agreed to include Yousafzai as a covering candidate, with Gohar assuring his name would be added. Nevertheless, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi intervened and ensured Badshah’s inclusion as a covering candidate instead of Yousafzai.
Further opposition to Yousafzai’s inclusion came from Shahid Khattak, while several party leaders raised objections to naming Bushra Bibi’s driver as a covering candidate. The seat became vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Murad Saeed last month following his conviction in a May 9 case linked to the 2023 violent protests.
The ECP notification stated that Saeed was sentenced to 10 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, leading to his disqualification under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution. Saeed had been elected senator from KP in July 2025 but was unable to take oath due to remaining in hiding. He later resigned from the Senate seat in mid-February by submitting a letter to the party chairman.
Meanwhile, the ECP has already announced the election schedule for the vacant seat, with polling scheduled for April 23 at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. The last date for scrutiny of nomination papers is April 10, and appeals against acceptance or rejection of nominations can be submitted by April 13. The tribunal is to dispose of appeals by April 15, after which the revised candidate list will be published on April 16. The deadline for withdrawal of candidacy is April 17.
Polling will take place on April 23 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Provincial Assembly Building in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
