Islamabad, Mar 3 (IANS): Pakistan on Wednesday held its Senate polls to elect 37 members of the upper house of the country's Parliament.

According to a statement from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 78 candidates are competing for the 37 Senate seats from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad, reports Xinhua news agency.

The polling process started at 9 a.m., and will end at 5 p.m.

Senators are not directly elected by public voting in Pakistan.

The contestants from provinces are elected by members of provincial assemblies while the aspirants from Islamabad get votes from the members of the National Assembly or the lower house of Parliament.

A total of 52 out of the 104 senators are about to end their six-year term this year.

Members of the provincial assemblies and the National Assembly were to elect only 48 Senators this time because erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas were merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

However, Punjab province has already elected 11 Senators unopposed after a settlement between the ruling party and the opposition.

Candidates are contesting for 11 seats from Sindh, 12 seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 seats from Balochistan and two seats from Islamabad.