Govt to finalise Senate Chairman candidate in 48 hours: Rashid

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday said that the government will finalise the names of candidates for Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Senate in 48 hours with the consent of all political parties.

Speaking to a private news channel, Pervaiz Rashid said that the government is in constant contact with all political parties to build consensus over the matter.

Replying to a question, he said that the opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was also in touch with the government regarding this matter.

Politicking was in full swing late into the night on Sunday, with leaders of political parties making contact with each other to build support for their candidates.

The leading parties in the Senate – the PPP with 27 seats and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) with 26 seats – need the support of other parties to install their candidates to the position of Senate chairman and deputy chairman.

A candidate for chairman needs to secure a maximum of 48 votes to win the race – five ballots less than the simple majority of the total membership of the Senate.

The parties position in the Senate puts the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and independent Senators in key positions to determine the new Senate chairman and deputy.

The votes of PTI’s six newly-elected Senators also put the party in a bargaining position.