Opposition submits no-confidence resolution against Senate chairman

ISLAMABAD: The opposition on Tuesday submitted a resolution of no-confidence against the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to the Senate Secretariat.

The 11-member opposition's anti-government Rahbar committee had announced its consensus to remove the Senate chairman. The no-trust motion was signed by 38 senators, the PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said.

The Rahbar committee will hold a second session on July 11, where it is expected to announce the name of a joint candidate for the post of Senate chairman.

It is first time in the parliamentary history that a resolution of no-confidence motion against the Chairman Senate has been submitted. The resolution for no-confidence and requisition for the Senate session was submitted to the secretary Senate by the Opposition after holding its meeting on Tuesday with OppositionLeader in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq in the chair. The meeting was attended by all the parliamentary leaders of the opposition parties in the Senate including the PPP, PML-N, ANP, National Party and JUI-F and the opposition senators.

After the meeting, Zafarul Haq, PPP Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman, PML-N Parliamentary Leader Mushahidullah, Javed Abbasi along with other opposition senators submitted the resolution of no-confidence against the Senate chairman and requisition of Senate session.

The resolution was drafted by Javed Abbasi and Sherry Rehman. For the resolution of no-confidence motion against the Chairman Senate, the signatures of 26 members were required under the rules, while the opposition submitted the resolution of no-confidence motion with the signatures of 38 senators.

The resolution said that the opposition submitted to Secretary Senate along with the requisition for the senate session for the same purpose, read as, “This House resolves and declares that senator Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has lost the trust and confidence of the members of the Senate of Pakistan to remain custodian of the House as Chairman Senate of Pakistan. Therefore, the Senate of Pakistan resolves and declares that Senator Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has ceased to hold the office of the chairman Senate of Pakistan.”

The joint opposition parties have the required majority in the Senate to de-seat the Senate chairman as in the 104-member House, from the current 103 members, the support of only 53 senators is required for the Senate chairmanship. The opposition parties collectively have the support of 65 senators that includes the PML-N’s 31 senators, PPP’s 21 senators, National Party’s five, JUI-F’ four, PkMAP’s four and ANP’s one senator.

Talking to media persons, Secretary Senate Muhammad Anwar said although it was first time that any resolution of no-confidence against the Senate chairman has come, so the Senate Secretariat will decide it after examining procedure laid down in the Constitution with regard to resolution and also on the requisition.

Zafarul Haq said the opposition did not have any annoyance with the Senate chairman, but with the government, and the resolution was moved in line of the decision of the all parties conference of the opposition.

Javed Abbasi said the resolution was submitted on the basis that the Senate chairman lost the confidence of the majority of the members of the House, but no allegation was made against him.

Under the rules, after the submission of the requisition for the Senate session, the chairman is bound to convene the session within 14 days and the opposition has listed the sole agenda of moving no-confidence motion against the chairman.

Meanwhile, Sadiq Sanjrani said no-confidence motion is part of democratic process and he is not worried about it. He said he is sitting and doing his work as per routine and he will not tender resignation.