–PTI’s Shibli says Opp in for a surprise regarding no-trust move against Senate chairman
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday held a telephonic conversation to deliberate on the name of the joint candidate for the post of the Senate chairman.
Both leaders discussed the overall politician situation in the country, particularly the no-confidence motion against the Senate chief, Sadiq Sanjrani.
The summons by an Islamabad accountability court was also discussed between the two as they vowed to keep protesting against the government.
The telephone call comes after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Leader of the House in the Senate Shibli Faraz claimed that the joint opposition was in for a surprise regarding the no-trust move against Sanjrani.
He said some of the senators from the opposition benches were in contact with the government as they didn’t support the move to oust Sanjrani.
He said the opposition senators were divided over the issue and the PTI was looking to cash in on the opportunity.
He said the government was working on a strategy to ensure that the no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani fails.
He, however, denied that the ruling party would resort to horse-trading, saying the money should be kept away from the democratic process.
“It’s their job to get the numbers, but the opposition seems split. [That’s why] the result of a vote of no-confidence can be a surprise.”
The joint opposition on Tuesday submitted a resolution in Senate against incumbent chairman Sadiq Sanjrani in a bid to oust him and urged for a requisition of the Upper House session at the earliest.
Sanjrani, however, said that he won’t be stepping down voluntarily.
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 as it stayed away from the APC and doesn’t stand with the government as well.
The party also refrained from attending today’s opposition meeting to oust Sanjrani.
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.
