Bizenjo emerges as PML-N candidate for Senate chairman

ISLAMABAD: Baloch nationalist leader and National Party (NP) chief Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo has suddenly emerged among the front-runners for the office of chairman Senate. He is reaching the federal capital today (Sunday) from Quetta. He said he is prepared to take up the prestigious slot as it should go to a smaller federating unit, and for the first time, to Balochistan.
The ruling PML-N’s chief political interceder and Federal Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar had exchanged views with Bizenjo and shared the view of the party leadership about the upcoming contest for the top position of the Senate.
Bizenjo enjoys extremely cordial relations with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his NP has been an ally of the PML-N since the latter took charge of the Balochistan government. The NP has three seats in the Senate.
In a brief chat with The News on Saturday evening, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo confirmed that he would be contesting for the office of chairman Senate provided “all friends are inclined to burden him” with the assignment.
When asked about his plans to become a candidate for the office of chairman Senate, the Baloch leader, who is the son of the great socialist leader Mir Ghaus Bux Bizenjo, said in a pleasant tone: “Let us experience a chairman from a regional and smaller party.”
The federation will be strengthened with such an experiment, he added. Meanwhile, political sources said Mir Hasil Bizenjo could become the consensus candidate because he is widely respected by the leadership on both sides of the political divide. He comes from a family that has rendered meritorious services for the cause of democracy and the rights of the oppressed.
The PML-N will feel comfortable with him since it has been closely associated with his party and the group under the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) of Imran Khan and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) could also support him ,as he doesn’t belong to the PML-N or the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) either.
The group has announced not to vote for either of the two parties. The sources pointed out that the PML-N will have no problem to negotiate with the PPP, and background contacts have already been established.
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has conveyed an ‘important’ message from his leadership to Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif in his extensive interaction with him on Friday evening in Lahore. The message is related to the future working between the parties currently ruling the bigger provinces of the country and the Senate elections.
The meeting will pave the way for a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and chairperson of the PPP Asif Zardari on Monday evening or Tuesday. The meeting will help ease the situation, the sources said.
The sources said Saturday saw hectic contact between different leaders of the groups with any links to the elevation of the chairman Senate election.
The leaders are planning to have mutual meetings on Sunday (today) and such contacts will continue till the poll is held for the office of chairman in the following days, the sources added.
It is understood that the offices of deputy chairman and chairman of various significant standing committees of the Senate will work as bargaining chips during the upcoming parleys of different groups.
The PML-N and PPP are believed to be in the fray for the office of the chairman Senate. Incidentally, none of the groups has yet formally announced its siding with either group including the traditional allies of the major parties. All the groups are in the process of discussions. No group other than the PML-N and PPP has double-digit membership in the House.
The ultimate tally of the members is as follow,
PPP, 27; PML-N, 26; MQM, 8; ANP, 7; PTI, 6; JUI-F, 5; PML-Q, 4; NP, 3; PkMAP, 3; NP, 3; BNP-A, 2; PML-F, 1; JI, 1; BNP, 1; Fata, 8; independents, 6.
The PPP has Rehman Malik, Farook H Naek, Senator Aitzaz Ahsan and Mian Raza Rabbani in its wings who are aspiring for the top position while Ms. Rubina Khalid of the PPP is emerging as the sole candidate for the office of deputy chairperson of the upper house of parliament.
Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, General (retd) Salahuddin Tirmizi and Senator Mushahidullah Khan are being tipped to be fielded for the office if the PML-N opts to put up its own candidate, the sources said.