Sanjrani survives no-trust motion: Hunt on for senators ‘stabbing in the back’

ISLAMABAD: The ruling PTI and its allied senators gave a massive shock to the combined opposition as Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani survived their unprecedented no-trust motion by just three votes.

As many as 64 senators put up their hands when the no-confidence motion was moved against the Senate chairman, but in secret balloting, only 50 votes were cast against Sanjrani. It left the opposition fuming and wondering as to which 14 senators betrayed them in the secret balloting.

The joint opposition’s bid to remove Sadiq Sanjrani fell short by three votes, as instead of garnering support of 53 votes, 50 senators polled their votes against him. Whereas five votes were rejected because the laid down procedure was not adopted, while 45 senators voted against the motion.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari vowed to take action against opposition senators who defied the party policy and voted against a no-confidence motion that was moved by the opposition against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.

"We will look into our party to see which of [our members] came under pressure or sold their conscience," a visibly angry Bilawal told reporters. "Some petty senators stabbed their parties in the back, we will take them to task," he said.

The PPP chairperson was speaking to the media after a meeting with opposition leaders that was held hours after Sanjrani shockingly survived a no-confidence motion even though government senators did not have a majority.

Similarly, the PTI and its allies’ no-trust motion against Senate Deputy Chairman Salim Mandviwala also met a failure. When the vote count was announced, only 32 senators voted in favour of their resolution. Interestingly, the treasury legislators thumped desks to greet the PPP’s Mandviwala on his survival in the no-trust motion. Both resolutions were dismissed accordingly.

Needless to say, Sanjrani and Salim Mandviwala would complete their stint as chairman and deputy chairman, if everything goes smoothly onwards.

Generally, the joint opposition abstained from voting on the motion against Mandviwala. However, some senators participated in voting, including Rubina Khalid, Prof Sajid Mir, Muhammad Ali Jamote, Quratulain Marri and also Mandviwala. Presiding Officer Muhammad Ali Saif cautioned senators Ayesha Raza Farooq and Usman Khan Kakar against trying to influence some senators regarding voting. The JI senators Sirajul Haq and Prof Mushtaq Ahmad stayed away from the voting process.

Two former chairmen of the Senate Farooq H Naek and Mian Raza Rabbani also cast their votes besides Senator Kamran Michael of the PML-N who managed to come to the House on the basis of issuance of his production order. Another PML-N Senator Chaudhry Tanvir Khan also missed the event owing to his treatment abroad.

Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq moved the no-trust resolution in the House. When the chair asked for head count, as many as 64 opposition senators were on their feet in favour of the motion for grant of leave. He then read out the resolution, which said, “Whereas Senator Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Senate as the chairman, the House resolves and declares that Senator Sadiq Sanjrani has ceased to hold the office of the chairman, Senate of Pakistan.”

Before the start of polling, the treasury named Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak of the PTI as their polling agent and the joint opposition forwarded Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi of the PML-N as their polling agent.

The MQM Senator, Muhammad Ali Saif, who was nominated as presiding officer by the president, conducted the proceedings, which witnessed hiccups owing to different reasons. Various opposition leaders, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Mian Iftikhar Hussain were present in the visitors’ gallery during the poll process.

Sanjrani also took part in voting during the no-trust motion against himself and was received with desk-thumping by the treasury lawmakers when he returned to the House minutes before voting on the motion against Mandviwala.

Earlier, Muhammad Ali Saif read out the rules for voting on the resolution. He said that the doors of the hall would remain closed as long as the voting process was on. The polling booth was established on the right of the chairman of the Senate chairman, while the ballot box placed in front of Senate Secretariat Secretary Muhammad Anwar, who called the names of senators in alphabetical order. Before the polling started, the ballot box was shown to the members and then sealed. Senator Najma Hameed of the PML-N was given the ballot paper twice, as she was unable to cast her vote without help from the Senate Secretariat female staffer.

“Please don’t try to influence voters. It is not a political meeting. It is a polling process, backed by the Constitution,” retorted the chair at one point.

PML-N Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim was the first to cast his vote on the motion against Sanjrani. Speculations were rife in the corridors of the Parliament House about how the joint opposition, commanding support of 64 senators, was reduced to 50 votes against Sanjrani.