Opposition nominates Rabbani for Senate chairman

ISLAMABAD: The PPP-led joint opposition on Monday nominated Senator Mian Raza Rabbani for the office of Chairman Senate while deciding that the deputy chairman would be elected from Balochistan.
“We have nominated Senator Mian Raza Rabbani for the slot of the Chairman Senate and the deputy chairman would be elected from Balochistan. Senators from Balochistan will decide on who should be the deputy chairman Senate,” announced ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, while talking to newsmen after attending the opposition parties’ meeting at the Zardari House here.
The PPP Co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, had invited the main opposition parties for formal consultations to reach a consensus on fielding joint candidates of the opposition parties for the Senate’s top slots.
The meeting, which lasted for five hours, was attended by Asif Ali Zardari, ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Secretary Information PML-Q Kamil Ali Agha.
Though the JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman also attended the meeting, he left before the announcement of Mian Raza Rabbani as the joint candidate for the office of chairman Senate.Asfandyar said he had told a government delegation that it would be better if they agreed on a consensus candidate. “We have the majority and three Fata senators are also supporting us,” he said.
Rabbani thanked all the parties, especially Asif Ali Zardari, ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the Fata senators, Sanaullah Zehri and MQM leader Altaf Hussain for reposing confidence in him.
Dr Farooq Sattar said the Senate represented the Federation and it would be better if its top slots represented the federating units. “Unity will also be kept in the opposition ranks in the coming days,” he added.
He said the quota between the urban and rural areas of Sindh will be revised and the local bodies elections will soon be held according to the commitments given by Asif Ali Zardari.Senator Kamil Ali Agha said the decision to nominate Senator Mian Raza Rabbani was taken with consensus.
The PPP, ANP, MQM and PML-Q have 46 senators.Agencies add: The PPP has offered the post of Deputy Chairman Senate to JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman. According to a private television channel, the JUI-F leader was offered the seat by the PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in a meeting of the opposition parties on Monday.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah said that the opposition will win the Senate chairman’s election and urged the government to support the candidates of opposition parties instead of competing.
Khursheed Shah claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was not sure about their victory in the Senate chairman’s elections, therefore, the government should appoint the Senate chairman with the consensus of the opposition.
The opposition leader further warned the government that if the PPP wins, then it would not bode well for the PML-N, and the contest would be harmful for democracy.Khursheed Shah said it seems that the opposition parties may grab both the slots.
Shah said the government had the opportunity to take the opposition parties into confidence to field consensus candidates for the Senate chairman and deputy chairman to avoid defeat and to promote the reconciliation process of the PPP.