PHOTO: AFP
“…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.
It is for the first time in history that the chairman Senate soon after taking oath will take charge as the acting president, as Mamnoon Hussain is on a foreign visit to Azerbaijan.
Express News screen grab of the oath-taking ceremony.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Rabbani on being 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.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Ghafoor Hyderi took oath as deputy chairman of Senate.
He won against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shibli Faraz.
Early morning discussions and negotiations pertaining to the Senate's deputy chairman position, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri had been nominated for the post.
After much deliberation in the sessions and after consultations with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Senator Ishaq Dar said that the position would be allotted to a member of the JUI-F from Balochistan as suggested by Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah.
PM Nawaz will make the final decision regarding the post.
Read: Senate elections: Last-gasp lobbying for deputy chair’s slot
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has also decided to contest the elections for the Senate deputy chairperson post, nominating Syed Shibli Faraz, Hafiz Hamdullah and Jahanzaib Jamaldani for the slot.
However, later in the day Jamaldini withdrew his nomination for deputy chairman senate.
The newly-elected senators took oath in the session this morning administered by Dar.
Read: Senate elections: Zardari outwits PML-N, wins support of JUI-F
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