Zardari claims PPP in position to clinch Senate chairmanship

• Zardari alleges Rabbani of not impeding ‘anti-democratic’ actions of Nawaz Sharif

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday said that the PPP has enough votes to bag the Senate chairmanship after meeting with the chief minister of Balochistan. When asked if Salim Mandviwala will be PPP’s nominee for the Senate chairman, he nodded, saying Inshallah and that the party has enough strength to get him elected.

Balochistan CM Abdul Quddus Bizenjo will finalise the names and forward them to the PPP chief, said the late night media reports. They said Sadiq Sanjrani and Anwarul Haq Kakar to be likely candidates for the Senate top slots.

Separately, a meeting between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM and independents led by Balochistan CM was underway. CM Khattak conveyed Imran Khan’s message to Bizenjo during the meeting, assuring him of PTI’s support for Bizenjo’s candidate for the election of senate chairman and deputy chairman.

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 Chief Minister 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.