Senate chairman election: Govt, opposition in intense race to win number game

ISLAMABAD: After the Senate elections, a new contest between the government and opposition, this time for election of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, will be staged on March 12.

The government and opposition benches have accelerated efforts for winning the numbers game in the Upper House of the Parliament and the practice of arranging breakfasts, lunches and dinners for senators at the Parliament Lodges, Ministers Enclave and adjacent Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and KP Houses is going on in full swing. The government has nominated Sadiq Sanjrani for the coveted post of Senate chairman, while the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has nominated Yusuf Raza Gilani. The Senate polls are also important that the opposition parties have lead of four votes on government and its allies in the House of 100 members. The opposition senators are 53, while the government and its allies have 47 members. The opposition members will be reduced to 52 as Ishaq Dar cannot come to Pakistan. After joining of PTI by independent senator Abdul Qadir the number of government senators has increased to 48.

The government is claiming to have support of one of the two senators of ANP from Balochistan. If the claim is supposed to be true then the government would have support of 49 senators, while the opposition would have 51 senators. In that case, the government would need support of just two senators from opposition to win the election for Senate chairman and deputy chairman.

On the other hand, the opposition parties are making efforts for gaining support of the MQM-P which is any ally of the government. On Tuesday, incumbent Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, federal ministers and other important leaders remained busy in lobbying for the upcoming elections for the posts of Senate chairman and deputy chairman.

An interesting situation emerged on Tuesday when Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak along with Sadiq Sanjrani held a meeting with Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri told media that they have offered the post of deputy chairman to the JUI-F leader. However, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said any decision in this regard would be taken by the PDM.

In other interesting developments, independent Senator Abdul Qadir joined the PTI, while Senator Shamim Afridi joined the PPP.