Summary The polling started in the Upper House at 04:00pm after fresh senators took oath at 10:00am.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A Senate session to elect fresh chairman and deputy chairman began on Monday in Islamabad and polling process concluded at nearly 05:45pm as all 103 senators cast their votes.
Raja Zafarul Haq of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Sadiq Sanjrani, a joint candidate of opposition parties are contesting for Senate chairmanship. For deputy chairman, Usman Kakar of Pakhtukhwa Milli Awami Party and Salim Mandviwalla of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) are taking part.
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Left: Candidate for PML-N Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Right: Candidate for opposition parties Sadiq Sanjrani
Over 60 senators had cast their votes until 05:10pm.
The new senators were sworn in at 10:00am today after they won Senate polls held on March 3. And polling to elect new leaders of the Upper House kickstarted at 04:00pm today. The polling is being held via secret ballot.
Three senators belonging to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) were initially absent namely, Maulana Faiz Muhammad, Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi and Attaur Rehman which could have served a blow to federally ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) but they returned before polling concluded.
PML-N’s Mushahidullah and Abdul Qadir Baloch briefly conversed with JUI-F’s members upon their return.
Following the polling, the candidate with majority of votes will be administered oath who would then swear in his deputy.
The session is to be adjourned until further notice after the oath-taking ceremony.
Number game
Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl (F), Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (F) will vote for PML-N’s candidate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq while Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PK MAP) and Balochistan National Party (Mengal) will also support him.
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Also Read: PML-N nominates Raja Zafar-ul-Haq as candidate for Senate chairman
Meanwhile, Jamat-e-Islami has also announced to vote for PML-N in the polls.
PTI, PPP and Balochistan panel
These three groups have joined the ranks of each other to bar PMLN. In the latest development, Bilawal Bhutto (chairman of PPP) has announced to support Sadiq Sanjrani for Senate chairmanship. He is also backed by PTI and Balochistan panel. If these three parties gain support from FATA members, they would be also be in the position to make sure appointment of their candidates on the aforementioned posts.
On the other hand, MQM has also pledged support to Sadiq Sanjrani after which he may get 51 votes.
