ISLAMABAD, March 12: Opposition-backed Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Monday bagged a lion’s share of votes to be elected Senate chairman while Saleem Mandviwalla became Deputy Chairman of the House.
Sanjrani secured 57 out of 103 votes while Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq received 46 votes. Similarly, Mandviwalla secured 54 votes against Usman Kakar’s 44.
In all, 98 votes were cast with no ballot rejected.
Later, the new Chairman took oath of the office. Presiding Officer Sardar
Yaqoob Khan Nasir administered oath of office to him. Meanwhile Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani administered oath to Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla.
Sanjrani an independent had been backed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). According to reports, Sanjrani also had the support of independent senators elected from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
He was contesting for the post against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Raja Zafarul Haq who was backed by the National Party (NP), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), PML-Functional and Awami National Party.
Meanwhile 52 newly-elected members of the upper house took oath as Senators at the specially convened session of the house in Islamabad this morning. Senators Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir, who was nominated by the President to chair the session, administered oath to the new members. Fifty-two of fifty-three newly elected Senators took oath. – Sabah
