Opposition determined to oust Sanjrani

ISLAMABAD: The joint opposition has once again reaffirmed its determination to oust Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to replace him with Hasil Bizenjo.

In this regard, a meeting of opposition leaders and senators was held on Tuesday. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman were among those present during the meeting.

Bilawal told the senators present during the meeting that they would be pressurised into switching their loyalty but advised them to resist the pressure. He said that the opposition is determined to restore the supremacy of the parliament which “appears to be absent at the moment”.

Fazl said that the opposition has the majority required to oust the Senate chairman. He also advised the senator against caving in to the pressure, saying it is against the beliefs of Islam to switch loyalties.

Shehbaz commended the opposition on bringing the no-confidence vote against Sanjrani and for nominating Bizenjo, saying this would give another chance to a long-ignored province of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders Hasil Bizenjo and Raza Rabbani have contacted the independent senators from the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to gain their support.

Reportedly, the opposition leaders exchanged views over the no-trust motion against Sanjrani during the conversation with the senators but the senators rejected the offer support the opposition candidate.

The independent senators informed Bizenjo and Rabbani of their decisions and said that they would support the incumbent Senate chairman.