ISLAMABAD: Following the victory of Sadiq Sanjrani as the Senate chairman on Monday, National Party (NP) chief Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo said the victory of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led alliance proved that some forces are “more supreme” than parliament.
Despite having a majority in the upper house, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) failed to secure either of the top slots due to alleged political engineering by the PPP co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari.
Addressing the house following the election of the chairman and deputy chairman, the NP leader lambasted the PPP, saying: “It is not the party of Benazir Bhutto or Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that won today.”
“The parliament has been completely defeated. Those supreme forces have won and have shown that they can make the Parliament a market,” he said, adding: “Today I am ashamed to sit here.”
Bizenjo’s emotional speech was interrupted by Chairman Sanjrani, who asked him to reserve the day for congratulating the members. Upon which, Bizenjo snapped and asked: “Congratulations for what? Today was the day when parliament’s face was blackened,” and added that he needed to make a speech today, else he wouldn’t be able to do it for the rest of his life.
The NP chief also criticised the opposition for terming this a victory of Balochistan. He said that the political parties had turned Balochistan into a “market”.
“After the building has been collapsed, it is being said we have done it for Balochistan. Is this what you’ve done for Balochistan? You did the same with the KP,” he added.
Prior to him, former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani took to the floor and said that he will continue to fight for the supremacy of parliament on the floor and outside of the house if the need arises.
Congratulating Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandiwalla and Sanjrani on their election, Jamaat-e-Islam (JI) chief Sirajul Haq said the Senate polls were a step towards promoting democracy because people feared the election would not take place at all.
Who gave you vote or who didn’t doesn’t matter now, as democracy demands acceptance of defeat and others’ victory even if it is by one vote,” he consoled.
Earlier in the day, Sadiq Sanjrani, Balochistan’s independent senator backed by the PPP and allies, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), defeated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Raja Zafarul Haq for the chairmanship of the Upper House of parliament. The PML-N also lost the election of the deputy chairmanship after its nominee Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s (PkMAP) Usman Kakar was defeated by PPP’s Saleem Mandviwalla.
