Tussle on for Senate top slot

ISLAMABAD: The mode for upcoming Senate elections has yet to be determined as a tug-of-war is underway in various spheres but the two major groups contesting for the same --- united opposition and government alliance --- are engaged hectically for finalizing list of their respective candidates.

The office of the chairman will also be vacant on March 11 next and would be filled on the same day immediate after the oath of the new members of the upper house of Parliament. Well-placed political sources said that about half a dozen names have surfaced so far for the slot of the chairman, including incumbent Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani. Sanjrani’s Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) would turn up the forth biggest party in the new house. The BAP is part of the ruling alliance under the PTI and Senator Faisal Javed from KPK has been tipped on behalf of the PTI if the office goes to the major party of the ruling alliance. The sources pointed out that former prime minister and PPP stalwart Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Senator Ms Sherry Rehman, Senator Rehman Malik and Senator Pervez Rashid are being discussed for the slot. Interestingly they all are to contest next month’s election for Senate and the possibility of their candidature would be subject to their election for the house while both the so-called candidates of the ruling alliance are already member of the house and will be retaining their seats till March 2024. The six-year membership of Senator Rehman Malik, Senator Sherry Rehman and Senator Pervez Rashid is competing next month. Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, who belongs to Multan, is the only would-be candidate from South Punjab while Ms. Sherry is from Karachi and member from Sindh. Senator Rehman Malik belongs to Sialkot, Punjab, but he too returned from Sindh. Senator Pervez Rashid belongs to Rawalpindi and he could be fielded a candidate from the federal capital seat.

Likewise, the sources said that if the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) asks Pervez Rashid to contest from Punjab, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani could be a candidate of the united opposition from Islamabad and later could contest for the office of chairman. Currently as has been reported that Yusuf Raza Gilani could contest from Sindh. The Deputy Chairman Senate will also be elected on the same day but a discussion for a probable candidate for the slot isn’t in the limelight.

The sources reminded that although the boards of different parties of the PDM are engaged in working out the list of their candidates, the final decision would be taken in the light of consultations between PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, PPP Supremeo Asif Ali Zardari and PDM President Maulana Fazalur Rehman, the sources said.

Their input will be having a final say on the decisions of the PDM. They will take a decision on the united opposition candidate for the office of Chairman, the sources added.