No-trust move in Senate: Hasil Bizenjois opposition’s candidate

ISLAMABAD: The anti-government Rehbar Committee of opposition parties on Thursday named Hasil Bizenjo as joint candidate for the post of Senate chairman.

Earlier, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif approved the name of National Party’s Hasil Bizenjo as the unanimously-decided candidate for the post of Senate chairman. Sources said that Nawaz Sharif suggested Bizenjo’s name in order to procure favour for Balochistan.

Hasil Bizenjo has served as former federal minister for ports and shipping. A day earlier, the opposition submitted a resolution of no-confidence against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to the Senate Secretariat. The 11-member opposition's anti-government Rehbar Committee had announced its consensus to remove the Senate chairman. The no-trust motion was signed by 44 senators. “We have nominated Hasil Bizenjo as consensus candidate for the post of Senate Chairman,” said Convener of Rehbar Committee Akram Khan Durrani said while addressing a press conference after meeting of the committee. He hoped that Hasil Bizenjo will get record votes in the election of Senate chairman.

With the nomination of Hasil Bizenjo as the opposition candidate, Raja Zafarul Haq will continue as opposition leader in the Senate and PPP’s Salim Mandviwala will continue as a Senate deputy chairman.

During the meeting of the Rehbar Committee, the opposition devised a joint strategy for launching protest campaign against the government on July 25 -- the day the opposition has termed black day.

The opposition parties collectively have the support of 65 senators that includes the PML-N with 31 senators, PPP with 21 senators, National Party with five senators, JUI-F with four senators, PkMAP with four senators and ANP with one senator.