No-confidence motion against Sanjrani on July 9

–Rehbar Committee holds maiden meeting, agrees to name joint candidate for Senate chairmanship on July 11

–Joint Opp decides to observe July 25 as ‘black day’

–JUI-F’s Durrani named convenor for two months, expresses concerns over emergence of new political order

ISLAMABAD: The joint opposition on Friday decided to file a no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on July 9 and reach a consensus on a candidate for the top slot by July 11.

The decisions were taken during a meeting of the ‘Rehbar Committee’ that met on Friday to decide a future course of action against the government.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Akram Khan Durrani said that the committee chose him as the convener for the next two months. The position will rotate among all member parties, he said.

Speaking about the opposition’s candidate for the coveted slot, he said the opposition will announce the replacement candidate on July 11 after further deliberation.

THE NUMBERS’ GAME

The joint opposition is in a comfortable numerical position to turn the tables on the ruling coalition if it goes ahead with its decision to vote out Sanjrani.

A primary condition will be that all the opposition votes are cast in the favour of its consensus nominee in the secret ballot.

As per the calculations, the opposition parties, in the 103-member House, enjoy the support of 61 senators while the governing alliance has the backing of 40 members.

The chairman can be removed by the majority of the total membership. Thus the support of at least 52 senators will be required to carry the no-confidence motion.

The opposition alliance comprises the PML-N with 29 senators, PPP with 20, National Party of Mir Hasil Bizenjo with five members, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) with four senators, Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) of Mehmood Achakzai with two and Awami National Party (ANP) of Asfandyar Wali with one member in the Upper House. The decision to remove Sanjrani was taken at an APC hosted by JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman.

The government alliance is in a weaker position, with PTI’s 14 senators. Its ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has five, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has two, and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and PML-Functional have one senator each in the House. 8 senators, who sit on the government benches, are from tribal districts.

The two votes of the Jamaat-e-Islami can’t be counted in the basket of the opposition or the government as this party has embarked upon an “independent” policy.

It stayed away from the APC and doesn’t stand with the government as well. Its Senate votes may go to either side or its MPs may even abstain.

Sadiq Sanjrani doesn’t belong to any of the political parties. He was elected a senator by an independent group. However, later the independent group, he belonged to, formed Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).

The numerical assets of the two sides apart, the chairman’s ouster, the first of its kind, will be a huge development that may stir the already charged political environment.

It may further peak the confrontation. Already, the opposition’s domination in the Senate has debilitated the government to get any bill passed from the Upper House.

‘BLACK DAY’ ON JULY 25:

Moreover, the opposition will also mark July 25, the anniversary of the 2018 general election, as a ‘black day’ due to the alleged non-transparent elections.

All parties have also been asked to have their members resign from the parliamentary committee to probe election rigging, he said.

He said the opposition parties were concerned about the “rise of new political order” in the country.

To a question about what the ‘new political order’ is, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi responded saying they were referring to rumours about a presidential system in the country.

The opposition parties also rejected the deployment of soldiers within the polling stations during the upcoming elections in the tribal districts, Durrani said.

“We condemn the arrest of Rana Sanaullah and demand the production orders of two members of the National Assembly from Waziristan,” he added.

On a question about the government’s decision to bring amendments to the production orders law, PPP’s Nayyar Bukhari said, “The prime minister has no right to issue or stop production orders. By doing so, he is denying people the right of representation.”

The meeting was attended by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal of the PML-N, Usman Kakar of PkMAP, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Farhatullah Babar of the PPP, Akram Khan Durrani of the JUI-F, Tahir Bizenjo of the NP, Owais Noorani of the JUP, Hashim Babar of the ANP and Mian Iftikhar Hussain of the QWP.