PPP claims support of 57 senators for Senate chairmanship

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Dr Qayoom Soomro has claimed that the party now has the support of 57 senators for the position of Senate chairman.

A total of 33 members of the Senate belong to the PML-N while the PPP closely follows with 20 senators.

PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari is reportedly going to have a meeting with independent senators from Balochistan on Friday, in which planning for Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be finalised. Zardari will meet senators from FATA later on in the same regard.

PPP is considering nominating Sadiq Sanjrani and Anwaar-Ul-Haq Kakar from Balochistan. Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Abdul Quddus Bizenjo met Asif Zardari and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) CM in separate sittings and has already entrusted Zardari with a name worthy of the esteemed position.

KP CM Parvez Khattak has also met Balochistan CM and pledged PTI’s support for bringing Senate chairman from the biggest province of Pakistan.

Currently, 13 members of the Senate belong to the PTI.

Earlier, Zardari alleged the Senate chairman, Raza Rabbani, of not impeding the “anti-democratic” actions of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He also accused that Rabbani did not address party’s concerns regarding the 18th Amendment and attempted to side with Nawaz Sharif during his tenure.

Zardari said that he has decisive votes to get his candidate of choice elected as the Senate chairman. He expressed these views while talking to the media after his meeting with the Balochistan CM Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and newly elected senators from the province.

Earlier, during the meeting with heads of various political parties, Sharif made critical comments about Zardari but supported the idea of reinstating PPP Senator Raza Rabbani as Senate chairman, the source told a private media channel.

“I want to see a personality like Raza Rabbani as Senate chairman,” Sharif was quoted as saying.