Pakistan

PM gives nod to Raza Rabbani's nomination as Senate chairman

PM says the new Senate slots should be made through consensus of all political parties

Web Desk March 10, 2015

PHOTO: AFP/ EXPRESS

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday forged consensus on Pakistan Peoples Party's proposed candidate Senator Raza Rabbani for the Senate’s top slot.

"Raza Rabbani is more than acceptable to us as proposed by the PPP," the premier said, while addressing a lunch of heads of all political parties at the PM House.

Claiming that his ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, wants all parties to work together, Prime Minister Nawaz said, "We want the new Senate chairman to be appointed through a consensus of all political parties."

Read: Senate elections: It’s a near tie! - PPP, PML-N share sweepstakes

Lamenting the fact that he was excluded from a dinner hosted by PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the nomination of the Senate chairman, Nawaz said, "It would have been nice if Zardari invited us as we invited everyone, including him but he couldn't come because of prior engagements."

"If any one party has absolute majority then they have a right to bring their candidate as Senate chairman or deputy chairman. But we should all work together for the appointment," he added.

Earlier, The Express Tribune had learnt that Nawaz had called the lunch to formally ask PPP to forge consensus on its proposed candidate.

Read:Luncheon meeting: Nawaz to host political parties’ heads today

Sources said the PML-N decided to concede to the PPP’s superiority in the Senate and support consensus candidates for the top jobs in the Upper House of Parliament after it failed to muster support of smaller groups, which have presented a long list of demands.

Following the premier's nod, Raza Rabbani is visiting the premier at the PM House in Islamabad, according to Express News.

Political leaders of various parties have hailed the decision of the Prime Minister to endorse the name of Mian Raza Rabbani as new chairman of the Senate.

COMMENTS (22)

straightshooter | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan is in the middle of a war within; the last thing this country needs right now is the 'luxury' of a constitutional crisis. Some people wanted to see two trains collide, as the joke goes. They have to wait. NS has done the right thing. For now.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @ZAK: man of principles, is coined for men standing with principles, you should tell me raza rabani stood against corruption of zardari and his cronies even during last term, if guy is really a man of principles and have a iota of shame he should have leave pppp after declaring Pakistan free corruption zone by his party during last tenure

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pervaiz | 9 years ago | Reply very good for democracy. Many peoples are carrying long lists of demands for both PPP & PMLN for support of chairman sanate, but a good move by matured leadership failed all. As for Niazai khan matter, better this not to discuss at this moment as he has fully exposed.

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply nabidad Mar 10, 2015 - 8:08PM Reply Good decision taken by Prime Minster of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif. this guy came all the way just to say "Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif". see the level of loyalty n excitement.

ZAK | 9 years ago | Reply Raza Rabbani is the man of principles. He always supported truth and Nawaz Sharif is very right by supporting Rabbani as a concensus candidate. After all ego yield nothing.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @nabidad: Client having food and leisure from masters though not as full free but carry on to make merry and nod with good, good, it is still not your part and fault, who can stop you plz have it again and gain, it is democracy

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply Great move for democracy. Finally , we are getting political maturity in the country . Pakistan Zindabad!

nabidad | 9 years ago | Reply Good decision taken by Prime Minster of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif.

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply @ Adnan Niazi @z(hidden Adnan Niazi) first I thought u r a neutral person n commenter , but by time I came to know that u r paid n rendering your services n commenting against every single word u found on ET I.e. "Imran" is your nature of work. now u came up to defend a lame and badly exposed move by ur owners shows that u r trying to b more loyal to the king than the king himself. and don't try to be over smart trying to teach us that's called politics or what. its not other than the "Noora Kushti".

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Self-concoction factory could say anything not costing high to nation, keep it up

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @z: words true demcratic norms are jeering at you, have an option to eat it up

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Contest is not less than between Imran and others altogether, all evil forces with their vested business interests have joined hand against Imran khan, peoples will have to get rid of these uncouth humans,

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply Raza Rabbani tried to dismantle the HEC in the name of the 18th Amendment. The people in the eduction sector disagreed because doing so would just allow provincial level politicians to plunder the budget. Look at the Sindh school budget. It is plundered by ghost employees. Whenever there is talk of privatising PIA he's at the forefront to keep the PPP appointed ghost workers plundering the company. The list goes on. Is this really the sort of person you need as President?

z | 9 years ago | Reply @ Raisani Imrani, cannot do anything about paid trolls. PMLN have no intentions to put forward someone for the Dy. Chairman Senate either. On a wider aspect, everything is being done keeping in mind a true democratic norm, which your lord Hazrat Imran Niazi will never be able to understand.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply & that certain someone whose cult worshiping fan boys consider him to be the prime minister of this country, is now cajoling Siraj Ul Haq to get his party the seat of Deputy Chairman through an understanding with PML-N......Sharamnaak!

Ebaad | 9 years ago | Reply @Raisani: You nailed it :D Maturity only shown after trying every single trick he knew of and failing!!

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @Raisani: My little naysayer devoid of political sense, it is called political wheeling and dealing. The cornerstone of politics is cutting your looses and living to fight another day. But I can understand your predicament. A person who considers Niazi to be a leader, would have a hard time deducing what politics is all about. Go about back to being a fan boy.

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply @adnan Niazi good work by ur master but he showed this political maturity when none of his tricks n tactics worked by sending Saad Rafiq, Pervez Rashid, his samdhi daar, and eventually by seeking help from London wala baba through chotay Mian Sahab. n here he shows political maturity., but his servants will keep on working on same old pays no matter how much they keep flattering.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @K Alam: Comical characters like Pir Rashidi and Pir Niazi of Banigala are never to be taken seriously. Both prefer to live in their little fiefdoms disconnected from the rest of human civilization, take great pride at being considered a deity and worshiped by their disciples/subjects/fan boys.

Shahid | 9 years ago | Reply Musical chairs!

K Alam | 9 years ago | Reply So the Muk Mukka getting visible with every passing day!. Pir Rashidi was also saying similar things two days back that both parties will forge as they have been doing so far.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Sign political maturity. Better to honor PPP's numerical advantage than to succumb to blackmailing of smaller pressure groups.

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