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Bilawal fields Sherry Rehman
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Swati confident of luring PPP support for his candidature
ISLAMABAD: Two major opposition parties in the Senate, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), are in for another battle, this time for the slot of opposition leader in the Senate.
Despite the fact that both the parties had recently joined hands for election of Sanjrani and Mandviwala for the slots of Senate chairman and deputy chairman respectively, it seems that the two parties will have another fight for the slot of opposition leader.
While the chairman and deputy chairman were elected on Monday, elections for the opposition leader are yet to take place. The opposition leader is chosen by a majority vote of members of the opposition.
It seems that PTI is far behind PPP as the former has 20 members in the house while the latter has twelve members. PTI enjoys support of one independent lawmaker from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) which takes their tally to 13.
Sources in PPP and PTI told Pakistan Today that PPP has conveyed the PTI leadership of its decision to name Sherry Rehman for the slot. However, the sources said that PTI has informed PPP that since PPP had already slots of opposition leader in the National Assembly (NA), the slot for opposition leader in the Senate was PTI’s right.
On the other hand, Senator Azam Swati looks upbeat about the prospects of a consensus candidate for the slot.
“We are in contact with the PPP leadership and hopefully a joint candidate is likely to be agreed upon between the two parties. We strongly believe that the opposition should not stand divided on the issue of opposition leader and hopefully the matter would be settled amicably,” he said.
When asked that how many lawmakers the PTI had reached to seek support, Swati said that when PPP had started contacting the opposition members, PTI had already done so.
Asked whether his nomination may get a nod from PPP, Swati said that PPP is likely to support his candidature which was a right of PTI as PPP had its hands full with offices in the two houses of the parliament.
It merits mention that Swati has been an active lawmaker among the opposition members and tabled 32 private bills during the past two years of his tenure. He has also been a vocal member and takes part in debate on a regular basis.
PPP started lobbying for Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted her nomination for the slot of opposition leader in the Senate.
As the PPP leader has been involved in reviving the party’s image through symbolism, Bilawal expressed hope that Rehman would become the first female opposition leader in the Senate, saying, “PPP is ready to make history again”.
Meanwhile, a PPP delegation comprising of Senator Rehman, the newly elected Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla, National Assembly Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah and others visited various members of the upper house of parliament from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
The delegation thanked FATA senators for their role in the victory of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala and sought their support for Senator Rehman’s election.
Syed Khursheed Shah also met Sanjrani to congratulate him on becoming the chairman of the upper house and the latter requested the former to pray for his success as the post was a huge responsibility for him.
Shahrbano Rehman, better known as Sherry Rehman, was born on December 21, 1960, in Karachi. She was educated at Smith College and later at the University of Sussex where she studied Art History and Political Science.
Rehman served as an MNA and a minister in the centre for various departments including health, women development and information. She also served as Pakistan’s ambassador to United States in PPP-led government’s recent term.
Azam Khan Swati was born in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Swati started his career as a practicing lawyer in Karachi but then left for the USA in 1978. In 1997, Swati established Pak-Oil Company and acquired a jobber-ship for Exxon, Chevron, Mobil, Shell and Diamond Shamrock.
Besides fuel distribution and wholesale business, he has handsome investments in real estate in the Beaumont-Golden Triangle area as well as in the bordering state of Louisiana.
During his stay in the United States, Swati keenly studied the American institutions and functioning of their democratic system. He felt the urge to help his country of origin by transferring the experience he had acquired in the United States. He took along a burning desire to see American values of liberty, justice, the right to pursue happiness, civil liberties, rule of law, and due process transplanted in Pakistan. Thereafter, he moved back to Pakistan in 2001 and was elected as mayor of Mansehra district.