Senate Chairman and Deputy
ISLAMABAD: Yusuf Raza Gilani and Saidal Khan Nasir were elected Senate chairman and deputy chairman, respectively, unopposed on Tuesday.
The swearing-in of newly-elected senators on Tuesday was marred by noisy protests from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), denouncing the election process for the chairman and deputy chairman positions as “unconstitutional” due to an “incomplete house.”
President Asif Ali Zardari convened the session for its inaugural meeting, aiming for the oath-taking ceremony of the freshly-elected members and the subsequent election of the Senate’s chairman and deputy chairman.
As the session commenced with Senator Ishaq Dar presiding, PTI members launched protests, demanding the adjournment of the session until senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were elected.
Despite PTI’s objections, the election for the Senate chairman and deputy chairman proceeded at 12:30 pm.
PTI leader Senator Ali Zafar voiced the party’s stance on the floor, asserting that the Senate election should be deferred, citing Article 59 of the Constitution, which mandates the presence of 96 members for electing the chairman. He emphasized that the process would remain unconstitutional until the house is complete.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the Senate polls, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeem Tarar reiterated the constitutional provisions for the election of the Senate chairman and deputy chairman.
He dismissed PTI’s objections, emphasizing that the term “duly constituted” was not included in the Constitution regarding the election of the chairman.
Despite the opposition’s arguments, Ishaq Dar ruled in favor of proceeding with the election, considering the legal explanation provided by the law minister.
Ahead of the session, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Saidal Khan Nasir were nominated for the chairman and deputy chairman positions, respectively, by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
With the ruling coalition enjoying significant support in the Senate, efforts were made to secure additional backing from parties like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Pakistan (JUI-P) for Gilani’s candidacy.
In conclusion, despite the objections and protests, Yusuf Raza Gilani and Saidal Khan Nasir were elected unopposed as Senate chairman and deputy chairman, respectively, underscoring the dominance of the ruling coalition in the upper house.
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