Vows to protect parliament’s sovereignty
JUI-F’s Ghafoor Haideri takes oath as Dy Chairman
ISLAMABAD: Senator Raza Rabbani took oath as chairman of the Upper House of Parliament on Thursday.
“I hope to come up to the expectations of those who have bestowed upon me this enormous responsibility,” said Rabbani before the oath-taking ceremony.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Rabbani on getting unanimously elected as chairman Senate.
The premier said that the consensus reached in Senate elections shows how the roots of democracy have been strengthened in the country.
Rabbani was elected unopposed as no other candidate submitted their nomination papers till 12 pm.
Newly elected Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani Thursday vowed to protect sovereignty of the parliament, which he called is passing through turbulent waters. “The parliament is passing through the turbulent waters. The constitution is passing through a phase where it needs to be guided, where it needs to be protected and where it needs to be defended,” Rabbani said while addressing the senate session. “I want to say it with abundant clarity that I will jealousy guard the sovereignty of the parliament,” he added.
The Senate chairman further said that he would provide equal opportunities to all the members of the upper house of the parliament to work with the best of their ability. He also announced to resign as additional general secretary of Pakistan People’s Party.
Shibly Faraz and combined candidate of Opposition and Government JUI-F’s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri were in the run for the coveted slot of deputy chairman Senate. Polling was held in the Parliament House and some 96 senators cast their votes to elect the deputy chairman. Out of the 96 votes, six were rejected and Maulana Haideri bagged 74 votes to be elected as Deputy Chairman Senate.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate for Deputy Chairman Senate Shibly Faraz surprised many by bagging 16 votes, some nine votes more than the party’s strength in the Upper House of the Parliament.
It was more than sure that Haideri will be elected as Deputy Chairman, as the PTI had no alliance with any party and was contesting on the basis of its six senator and one vote of its ally Jamat-e-Islami. But what was surprising is that Faraz instead of the expected seven votes bagged 16 which are more than double of the actual PTI strength. It means that some ruling party and opposition parties Senators also voted for him. This shows that there is resentment in ruling and opposition parties members and there might be some defection in future to PTI from the ruling and opposition parties ranks. The newly-elect senators took oath in the session this morning administered by Dar.
INP