ISLAMABAD – Senate Chairman Farooq Naek is likely to be the first casualty with the government losing its majority in the Upper House of parliament, as six MQM senators submitted an application on Monday for allocation of seats on opposition benches.
The government’s strength in the Senate has now shrunk from 53 to 47, and with FATA Senator Saleh Shah’s deciding to side with the JUI-F, the government’s strength would further fall to 46. Hence, the opposition, with the support of 54 senators, is in a comfortable position to give a tough time to the Senate chairman. And even if seven PML-N senators decide not to move against Naik, the opposition would still enjoy a majority with 47 senators supporting it against treasury’s 46.
Moreover, the opposition’s strength may rise to 63 in case nine independent senators from the FATA also decide to go against the government.
The Senate’s chairman’s slot is a crucial one, as the incumbent takes over as the head of the state in case the office of the president falls vacant.
In the House of 100 members, PPP is the major player with 27 members, followed by PML-Q with 21 members.
Fazlur Rehman’s JUI-F is the third largest party with 12 senators, while the PML-N has seven snators.
The MQM and ANP have six senators each, while three senators belong to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). The Balochistan National Party-Awami and National Party (NP) have two senators each, while independents from FATA are nine with one, Saleh Shah, already supporting the JUI-F. PPP-Sherpao, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), PML-Functional, and Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) have one senator each.
Even if independent senators from FATA remain with the government, the treasury’s strength falls down to 46 – with PPP’s 27, FATA nine, ANP six, BNP-A two and one each from the PML-F and JWP.
