Rubina Irfan emerges as strong candidate for Senate’s deputy chairperson

According to sources, the PPP has supported Irfan for the post of deputy chairperson

ISLAMABAD: Senator Rubina Irfan, who belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) from Balochistan, has emerged as the leading candidate for the post of deputy chairperson of Senate, sources told The Express Tribune.

Since consensus was not reached on the name of deputy chairperson for the Upper House on Tuesday, the decision was left to be taken by parties from Balochistan.

The matter was discussed at a meeting held at the PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain's residence. The meeting included Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s (PkMAP) Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Syed Khurshid Shah, National Party’s Hasil Bizenjo and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Kulsoom Perveen.

According to sources, PPP has supported Irfan for deputy chairperson. PPP's Senator Saif Magsi supported her name.

Irfan is daughter-in-law of the Khan of Kalat and belongs to the Baloch tribe, Zehri. Her husband Prince Irfan is nephew of Khan of Kalat and has served as a provincial MPA and minister.

Sources said senators of various parties of Balochistan are interested for the slot of deputy chairperson of Senate.

Other possible candidates 

Moreover, Awami National Party’s (ANP) Senator Dawood Achakzai is not being supported as he belongs to a Pakhtun tribe from Balochistan.

Balochistan National Party Mengal (BNP-M) Dr Jamal Din Jamali has been rejected by the NP, PkMAP and other stakeholders due to his controversial election and his party leader Akhtar Mengal's stance on Balochistan.

National Party’s Hasil Bizenjo refused to run for the post of deputy chairperson, saying since he heads the party, he is unwilling to take up the position of deputy chairman in the Senate.

PkMAP already have their governor in Balochistan, who is also a key ally in the federal government.

Sources said that the JUI-F was interested in making the party’s General Secretary Ghafoor Haidri deputy chairman but was not supported by other groups, as the JUI-F already has two positions in the Federal Cabinet: head of Kashmir Committee and chair of Council of Islamic Ideology.

Hence, Irfan may emerge as a consensus candidate in the meeting.