PPP formally names Gilani for Senate chairman

Total strength of the upper house increased from 66 to 85, with 59 seats going to the ruling coalition

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Peoples Party on Thursday named Yousuf Raza Gilani as the candidate for the Senate chairman election, according a statement issued late on Thursday.

The election of Gilani to the post is all but certain as the ruling coalition has a comfortable majority in the upper house of parliament. The ruling coalition had clinched 19 seats in the upper house election held on Tuesday.

Following the election, the total strength of the upper house has increased from 66 to 85, with 59 seats going to the ruling coalition, led by PML-N. The PPP with its 24 senators now forms one-fourth of the total strength in the house.