PDM names Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for Senate deputy chairman slot

JUI-F leader earlier refused PTI's offer for same position, saying ruling party was trying to save its 'sinking ship'

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – the 11-party anti-government alliance – on Tuesday nominated Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) General Secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for the post of Senate deputy chairman.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman congratulated Haideri on his nomination, the party said in an official statement, adding that the latter thanked the former for reposing confidence in him.

“Will meet your and PDM's expectations… PDM's panel would succeed under the leadership of Yousuf Raza Gilani," he was quoted as saying during the meeting with Maulana Fazl.

The official Twitter handle of JUI-F shared an image in which party's amir could be seen handing over a bouquet to Haideri.

مرکزی سیکریٹری جنرل جے یو آئی مولانا عبد الغفور حیدری ڈپٹی چئرمین سینٹ کے لئے امیدوار نامزد pic.twitter.com/PJb2BdlcCl

— Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan (@juipakofficial) March 9, 2021

 

The announcement was made hours after the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) offered Haideri the same position of the upper house, polls for which are scheduled to take place on March 12.

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The JUI-F general secretary however refused the offer, saying the ruling party was trying to save its ‘sinking ship’ with such acts.

The offer was extended by PTI's Senate chairman candidate Sadiq Sanjarani and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak earlier in the day.

Pulling off an upset in the March 3 Senate polls, the PDM parties have managed to retain their majority in the upper house of parliament and are now hopeful of getting the top offices of chairman and deputy chairman for which elections through secret balloting are scheduled for March 12.

The PDM also managed to get its candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani elected at the crucial general seat of Islamabad, a contest in which he defeated the PTI’s Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh with five votes.

This setback compelled Prime Minister Imran Khan to seek a trust-vote from the National Assembly on March 6.

On Monday, PDM unanimously nominated former prime minister Gilani for the post of Senate chairman.

Earlier, on March 4, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced Sadiq Sanjrani as the party's candidate for Senate chairman.