Govt steps up efforts to prevent no-trust move against Sanjrani

Leader of the House Shibli Faraz meets opposition candidate Hasil Bizenjo

ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is still making efforts to convince the opposition parties to withdraw their no-confidence motion against the Senate chairman.
Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz met the joint opposition’s candidate for the post, Senator Hasil Bizenjo of the National Party, on Friday.
Sources said Faraz and Bizenjo exchanged views on the present situation and the leader of the house requested the opposition senator to reconsider his decision.
Later, Federal Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry met Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to discuss the opposition’s no-trust motion. The minister assured the chairman that the ruling party fully supported him.
A session of the Senate has been convened on August 1 for a vote on the opposition’s no-confidence motion.
On Wednesday, a delegation comprising members of the ruling PTI and its allies called on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence in an attempt to convince the opposition to withdraw its no-confidence motion against the Senate chairman.

Govt tries to woo Fazl into sparing Sanjrani
However, the JUI-F chief refused to budge from his stance.
The delegation was led by Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal and included Shibli Faraz as well as Senators Ayub Afridi and Mirza Muhammad Khan Afridi.
Speaking to the media, the Balochistan chief minister said he had met Fazl because though moving a no-confidence motion against the Senate chairman was a constitutional right, he feared it would set an undesirable precedent.
“We want to take steps for the betterment of the situation,” he added.
“The chairman of the Senate is elected after every three years. If this takes places [the de-seating of Sanjrani], it’s going to start happening after every three to four months.”
Kamal, who is also the leader of the Balochistan Awami Party, lauded the performance of the chairman, maintaining that Sanjrani was running the house well.
“The future of politics should not be affected over a few differences.”
The Balochistan chief minister said he expected the JUI-F chief to change his mind and also convince other opposition parties to reconsider as well.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Fazl diplomatically made it clear that he was in no mood to change his mind.
“The decision to move a no-confidence motion against the Senate chairman was taken at the all parties conference,” he said.
“I welcome their [the delegation’s] arrival but their recommendations weren’t beneficial,” he added.
“There should be recommendations on which consultations can be held with several opposition parties.”
Senator Shibli Faraz of the PTI said the ruling party and its allies were ready for the vote in the Senate.
“We have walked up to Maulana sahib to bring an end to this situation and protect the sanctity of the Senate,” he added.
Earlier, Bizenjo had claimed that the opposition had 66 senators while only 33 lawmakers supported the PTI.