PPP’s Yousuf Raza Gilani secures Senate chairman slot uncontested
Yousuf Raza Gilani of PPP was elected unopposed as Senate chairman on Tuesday after PTI boycotted the election for the leading roles.
PML-N’s Sardar Syedal Khan Nasir was chosen as the deputy chairman. Earlier in the day, the Senate’s newly-elected members took their oaths.
At the start of the session, the Senate Secretary, Qasim Samad Khan, stated that after the oath-taking, the session would continue for the election of the chairman and deputy chairman.
Senator Ishaq Dar served as the presiding officer for the first session.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his congratulations and best wishes to the new Senate chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani and Deputy Chairman Sardar Syedal Khan Nasir.
The PM remarked that the Senate leadership elections represent the ongoing democratic process.
He expressed his hope that the new leaders would contribute to the enhancement of the Constitution and the nation’s development. PM Shehbaz further hoped that both newly elected officials would take an active part in creating effective legislation for the betterment of the public and advancing national growth and wealth.
Yousuf Raza Gilani of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was anticipated to rise to the Senate chairman position without opposition, owing to a power-sharing agreement with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as the upper house convenes today.
With the PTI boycotting, Gilani, the ruling coalition’s joint candidate, had an uncontested route to the chairmanship. His victory signifies a notable achievement, as he has been the National Assembly speaker and prime minister in the past, and is now set to claim the Senate chairmanship.
Before taking control of governance, the PML-N and PPP had an agreement, allocating major roles in a strategic exchange. This deal allowed the PPP to maintain prestigious positions such as the presidency, the Senate chairman, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and governance in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The PML-N, in return, obtained the prime minister’s seat, the National Assembly speaker, the Senate’s deputy chairman, and governorships of Sindh and Balochistan.
On Monday, the PTI opted out of the Senate chairman and deputy chairman elections, arguing that the electoral process was not complete, as the Senate polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were delayed and the newly elected members of reserved seats had yet to be sworn in.
In a 96-member house, 85 senators have already been chosen, while the Election Commission of Pakistan delayed the election for 11 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seats because oaths were not administered to those elected for reserved spots.