PPP’s Raza Rabbani elected unopposed as Senate chairman while JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri clinches deputy seat after defeating PTI’s Shibli Faraz
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haidri were on Thursday elected as Senate chairman and deputy chairman, respectively.
Presiding officer of the special session of the Senate, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, announced that nomination papers of only one candidate for the office of Senate chairman were received and found in order. Therefore, he is declared to have been elected unopposed.
Raza Rabbani took oath as Senate chairman and will also be serving as acting president for the duration of President Mamnoon Hussain’s four-day visit to Azerbaijan.
Thanking the House for reposing confidence in him, Rabbani pledged that it would be his endeavour to uphold sovereignty of the Parliament and Constitution.
“I have to perform the functions of the president under clause two of Article 49 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” said Rabbani while addressing the Senate. He said that as a custodian of the House, he will also work for strengthening of the Parliament. He assured that he will treat all members equally and afford them equal opportunities to play their due role in the House.
Congratulating Rabbani, the senators lauded his services for the cause of democracy and supremacy of the Parliament.
Later, the House elected JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haidri as deputy chairman of the Senate. He secured 74 votes while his rival Shibli Faraz of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) bagged 16 votes.
The new elected deputy chairman thanked all members of the House for reposing confidence in him.
Abdul Gafoor Haideri was the main candidate and Hamdullah was the covering candidate for deputy chairmanship of Senate.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also endorsed the allies’ decision after which JUI-F’s Haideri and Hamdullah had filed their nomination papers before the office of the secretary Senate.
Addressing a press conference, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman said, “I am thankful to Asif Ali Zardari and all the lawmakers from Balochistan.”
PTI had also decided to contest the deputy chairman’s elections and nominated newly-elected senator Shibli Faraz for the post. Shibli Faraz is the son of noted poet, late Ahmad Faraz.
Talking to reporters, Faraz said, “Since political parties are colluding with each other, PTI has decided not to support any other party.”
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq had also proposed the name of Shibli Faraz for deputy chairman.
In the meanwhile, BNP-Mengal’s Dr Jahanzeb Jamal Deeni also submitted his nomination.
BNP-Mengal chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal met Premier Sharif at Prime Minister House and discussed the political situation including the Senate elections and sought the prime minister’s support for his candidate Dr Deeni.
On the other hand, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and Mehmood Khan Achakzai met with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at Parliament House and held discussions to reach a consensus candidate from Balochistan.
Earlier, 47 newly-elected senators took oath of their offices. Dar, who was nominated by the president as presiding officer, administered the oaths.
Dar congratulated the newly-elected members and expressed the hope that they would play their due role as senators.
Talking to media, the newly-elected senators pledged to work for strengthening parliamentary and democratic norms in the country. They hoped that the government and opposition would work together to steer the country out of crisis.