Senate chairman’s slot: Make or break at peak

ISLAMABAD: The chances of a consensus candidate for the slot of Senate chairman has diminished as make-or-break has reached in the final stages for the important post.

The independent senators from Balochistan gave their hands of cooperation to Pakistan People’s Party and granted powers to Asif Ali Zardari to nominate the candidates for the Senate Chairman and Deputy Chairman. On the other hand, chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also extended his party support to independent senators from Balochistan.

Former president of the country and now President Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians on Thursday night held a meeting with the independent senators and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qadoos Bizenjo at the Balochistan House to get their support.

In a press talk after the meeting with independent senators from Balochistan, Asif Ali Zardari claimed that the PPP has a winning vote for the hot seat of Upper House of the Parliament. “Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will announce our candidate for the slots of chairman and deputy chairman after consultation with the allied parties,” he said.

Zardari said the PML-N was claiming winning votes while skipping the other’s majority. “If you ask from them now, then their answer will be different”, he said. He said the PPP always gave special importance to Balochistan and will make a decision with keeping focus on Balochistan. “We previously also offered the post of Deputy Chairman Senate to Abdul Ghafoor Haideri,” he said and added that they were also thinking many new programmes for Balochistan.

To a question about Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Zardari said he did not want to say about Chairman Senate but Mian Raza Rabbani avoided the constitutional violations of Nawaz Sharif during the last three years and even he did not remove their reservations on the 18th amendment. “That was the reason he was more tilted towards Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qadoos Bizenjo thanked Asif Ali Zardari for visiting to meet the independent senators and on supporting their stance.