The political parties have started making contacts for the upcoming polls for Senate chairman and deputy chairman slots.
Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was recently elected as senator from Islamabad, has also started contacts for the Senate top slot. Gilani, who is likely to be the joint candidate of the opposition parties for Senate chairman, Saturday met with the MQM-P Convener and MNA Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to seek support for PDM candidates in elections for Senate top slots. Gilani said that they had a working relationship with the MQM-P in the past and any decision regarding the party would be made at the PDM platform.
Speaking on the occasion, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that their doors are open for the political forces as he thanked Yousaf Raza Gilani for visiting them along with a delegation. “We have a meeting of the coordination committee and we will mull the offer made by the PDM and make a final decision in this regard,” he said.
Sadiq Sanjrani, the current Senate chairman, on Saturday also called on MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. During the meeting, Sadiq Sanjrani sought MQM-P’s support for the chairmanship of the Upper House of the Parliament. The country’s overall political situation, the vote of confidence, upcoming elections for the Senate top slots and other issues were also discussed in the meeting.
Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Balochistan Awami Party’s Khalid Hussain Magsi, Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Aminul Haque and others were present in the meeting.
It is pertinent to mention here that MQM-P is part of the federal coalition government and has earlier rejected an offer by the PDM to vote against federal government-backed candidate Hafeez Shaikh. The party also supported the prime minister in the vote of confidence on Saturday. Speaking at the floor of the Lower House, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui congratulated PM Imran Khan and said they have reposed their confidence in him and now he should give confidence to the nation.
On March 4, the government had nominated Sadiq Sanjrani, the incumbent Senate chairman, as its candidate for the chairman of the Upper House. “Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced Sadiq Sanjrani for Senate chairmanship,” Information Minister Shibli Faraz had announced in a Twitter.
In a related development, Sanjrani also met with National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. Responding to questions posed by journalists following the meeting, Qaiser said, “His personal opinion is that there is no better candidate than Sadiq Sanjrani [for the post of Senate chairman].”
After becoming the largest party in Senate by winning 18 seats in recently held polls, the ruling PTI had nominated Sadiq Sanjrani, the incumbent Senate chairman, as its candidate for the chairmanship of the Upper House. Following the development, reports circulated on some media that incumbent Law Minister Farogh Naseem is likely to be the government-backed candidate for the Senate deputy chairman’s slot. However, reports said that Farogh Naseem is not interested in being nominated for the Senate deputy chairman slot nor his party which is also a key ally of the incumbent government has decided to nominate Naseem for the position.
After the Senate elections, all eyes are now set on the coming election for the key offices of chairman and deputy chairman of the Upper House. After winning 18 seats, the PTI’s tally in Senate stands at 25. Government allies, BAP has a total of 12 seats in Senate and MQM-P has three. The opposition and the ruling alliances now have 53 and 47 members respectively in the 100-member house.
The election to elect the Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be held on March 12 through secret balloting.
