Political arena heats up over no-trust move
Opposition parties increase pace of meetings; so does the govt
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The political arena of the country is heating up as the opposition parties have increased the pace of their meetings regarding the no-confidence motion filed against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, while the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is leaving no stone unturned to defeat the move.
Senators from the tribal areas met Prime Minister Imran Khan, while Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also held a meeting with Sanjrani.
Buzdar said, “There is nothing to worry about. PTI supported Sanjrani in the past, is supporting him and will continue to do so in the future.”
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood Khan also held a meeting with Sanjrani at the Parliament House, while National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser also met the Senate chairman.
Qaiser said, “I did not meet Sanjrani for a long time so I thought to meet him. He is my friend.”
A journalist asked, “Is your friend in trouble?”
Qaiser said, “No. All will be well soon with the blessings of Allah.”
Minster for Defence Pervez Khattak and Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz also assured the Senate chairman of their support in separate meetings.
Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda also met the chairman.
After the meeting, Vawda told the media that the PTI had never indulged in horse trading and would never opt for it.
“They will fail be it show of hand or show of leg. The only place where their ‘bad deeds’ will lead them to is prison,” said Vawda, adding that the PTI leaders could lose the offices of PM, president, ministries and even their lives but would not give an NRO-like deal to anyone.
He said he had come to congratulate the Senate chairman in advance. “The opposition has miscalculated that the Senate chairman can be removed. They [opposition] will only be disgraced like in the past. The Senate chairman will stay. Opposition had better think about their deputy chairman,” said Vawda.
In a separate meeting with the Senate chairman, lawyer Babar Awan discussed legal aspects of the vote of no confidence.
On the other hand, opposition parties held a meeting in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq. Candidate nominated for the Senate chairman’s post Hasil Bizenjo and Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla were also present.
“There is no chance of horse trading. The government will have to call a meeting,” said Bizenjo after attending the meeting outside the Parliament House.
The National Party chief said they had the numbers and removing the incumbent chairman would not be an issue.
“Legal consultations on requisition and resolution have been completed,” he said.
To a question whether the Senate meeting would be suspended for 120 days, he said, “The law gives no such option.”
He said that the opposition parties had consulted three former chairmen of the upper house and leading lawyers. “The government will have to call the session.”
On Senate Secretariat’s objection to opposition’s requisition request, Raja Zafarul Haq, in his written reply, said the no-confidence resolution and the requisition of session would be considered separately.
PML-N’s Senator Javed Abbasi said they had replied that they had not submitted two requisitions.
“Opposition submitted a separate requisition of the Senate session and one resolution for the removal of the chairman. Now the issue has been resolved. We have submitted our written reply with the Senate secretary.”
The political arena of the country is heating up as the opposition parties have increased the pace of their meetings regarding the no-confidence motion filed against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, while the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is leaving no stone unturned to defeat the move.
Senators from the tribal areas met Prime Minister Imran Khan, while Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also held a meeting with Sanjrani.
Buzdar said, “There is nothing to worry about. PTI supported Sanjrani in the past, is supporting him and will continue to do so in the future.”
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood Khan also held a meeting with Sanjrani at the Parliament House, while National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser also met the Senate chairman.
Qaiser said, “I did not meet Sanjrani for a long time so I thought to meet him. He is my friend.”
A journalist asked, “Is your friend in trouble?”
Qaiser said, “No. All will be well soon with the blessings of Allah.”
Minster for Defence Pervez Khattak and Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz also assured the Senate chairman of their support in separate meetings.
Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda also met the chairman.
After the meeting, Vawda told the media that the PTI had never indulged in horse trading and would never opt for it.
“They will fail be it show of hand or show of leg. The only place where their ‘bad deeds’ will lead them to is prison,” said Vawda, adding that the PTI leaders could lose the offices of PM, president, ministries and even their lives but would not give an NRO-like deal to anyone.
He said he had come to congratulate the Senate chairman in advance. “The opposition has miscalculated that the Senate chairman can be removed. They [opposition] will only be disgraced like in the past. The Senate chairman will stay. Opposition had better think about their deputy chairman,” said Vawda.
In a separate meeting with the Senate chairman, lawyer Babar Awan discussed legal aspects of the vote of no confidence.
On the other hand, opposition parties held a meeting in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq. Candidate nominated for the Senate chairman’s post Hasil Bizenjo and Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla were also present.
“There is no chance of horse trading. The government will have to call a meeting,” said Bizenjo after attending the meeting outside the Parliament House.
The National Party chief said they had the numbers and removing the incumbent chairman would not be an issue.
“Legal consultations on requisition and resolution have been completed,” he said.
To a question whether the Senate meeting would be suspended for 120 days, he said, “The law gives no such option.”
He said that the opposition parties had consulted three former chairmen of the upper house and leading lawyers. “The government will have to call the session.”
On Senate Secretariat’s objection to opposition’s requisition request, Raja Zafarul Haq, in his written reply, said the no-confidence resolution and the requisition of session would be considered separately.
PML-N’s Senator Javed Abbasi said they had replied that they had not submitted two requisitions.
“Opposition submitted a separate requisition of the Senate session and one resolution for the removal of the chairman. Now the issue has been resolved. We have submitted our written reply with the Senate secretary.”