Senate elections: Last-gasp lobbying for deputy chair’s slot
Raza Rabbani will likely be elected unopposed as chairman
A file photo of Senator Raza Rabbani. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Amid deliberations over the office of the deputy chairman of Senate, the 48 newly elected senators will take oath as members of the upper house of Parliament today (Thursday).
Under the rules of procedure and conduct of business, the first thing the senators would have to do after taking oath will be to elect the Senate chairman and subsequently, the deputy chairman.
The name of Senator Raza Rabbani – who resigned as the deputy secretary general of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Wednesday – has already been finalised for the coveted upper house top slot. He will likely be elected unopposed today, unless someone else submits nomination for the post.
Sub-section 3 of the Senate rules states that “at any time before 12 noon on the day fixed for election, any member may propose another member for election as chairman by delivering to the secretary a nomination paper signed by him and accompanied by a statement by the member whose name is proposed that he is willing to serve as chairman, if elected.”
“A member who has been nominated may, in writing, withdraw his candidature at any time before the Senate proceeds to elect a chairman,” the section adds.
More or less the same procedure has also been laid down for the election of the deputy chairman.
According to the Senate secretariat, the session of the house will begin at 10 am. After the recitation of the Holy Quran, the secretary will announce the presiding officer who will administer the oath to the newly elected members, who will then sign the roll of members. The secretary will then announce the programme for the chairman and deputy chairman. If needed, balloting will be held at 3 pm.
After their election, the chairman and deputy chairman will take the oath of their offices.
Former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has played his hand smartly. He has not only retained the chairman’s office for a representative of his party, but secured the important post of the leader of opposition as well by announcing Aitzaz Ahsan as a candidate for the slot.
“PPP has decided to continue with Aitzaz Ahsan as the leader of the opposition in the Senate,” Senator Saeed Ghani told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. Ghani himself will serve as the party’s chief whip in the upper house.
Following the precedent set in the past, PPP and its allied parties in the opposition on Monday decided that the office of the deputy chairman will go to someone from Balochistan. Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) accepted the decision a day after, but smaller parties are still divided over who to support for the slot.
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and nationalist parties from Balochistan remained busy till Wednesday trying to muster support for their nominees for the post.
The PML-N initially floated the idea of nominating National Party (NP) chief Senator Hasil Bizenjo for the post. But PML-Q is lobbying for Robina Irfan, JUI-F for Ghafoor Haideri and Balochistan National Party-Mengal for Dr Jamaldini.
Despite several rounds of talks, the situation remained fluid till late Wednesday night.
Following the meeting of opposition parties at PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s residence, senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah told reporters that a name for the deputy chairman will be finalised by morning today (Thursday) before the polls.
Upon his election, the Senate chairman will also assume charge as acting president of Pakistan as President Mamnoon Hussain is on a four-day visit abroad.
Interestingly, this would mean that three different individuals have served as acting president in a span of just 12 hours – Nayyar Bukhari, whose term as Senate chairman expired Wednesday midnight, was succeeded as acting president by the National Assembly speaker. The latter will hold the post till the new Senate chairman is elected.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2015.
Amid deliberations over the office of the deputy chairman of Senate, the 48 newly elected senators will take oath as members of the upper house of Parliament today (Thursday).
Under the rules of procedure and conduct of business, the first thing the senators would have to do after taking oath will be to elect the Senate chairman and subsequently, the deputy chairman.
The name of Senator Raza Rabbani – who resigned as the deputy secretary general of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Wednesday – has already been finalised for the coveted upper house top slot. He will likely be elected unopposed today, unless someone else submits nomination for the post.
Sub-section 3 of the Senate rules states that “at any time before 12 noon on the day fixed for election, any member may propose another member for election as chairman by delivering to the secretary a nomination paper signed by him and accompanied by a statement by the member whose name is proposed that he is willing to serve as chairman, if elected.”
“A member who has been nominated may, in writing, withdraw his candidature at any time before the Senate proceeds to elect a chairman,” the section adds.
More or less the same procedure has also been laid down for the election of the deputy chairman.
According to the Senate secretariat, the session of the house will begin at 10 am. After the recitation of the Holy Quran, the secretary will announce the presiding officer who will administer the oath to the newly elected members, who will then sign the roll of members. The secretary will then announce the programme for the chairman and deputy chairman. If needed, balloting will be held at 3 pm.
After their election, the chairman and deputy chairman will take the oath of their offices.
Former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has played his hand smartly. He has not only retained the chairman’s office for a representative of his party, but secured the important post of the leader of opposition as well by announcing Aitzaz Ahsan as a candidate for the slot.
“PPP has decided to continue with Aitzaz Ahsan as the leader of the opposition in the Senate,” Senator Saeed Ghani told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. Ghani himself will serve as the party’s chief whip in the upper house.
Following the precedent set in the past, PPP and its allied parties in the opposition on Monday decided that the office of the deputy chairman will go to someone from Balochistan. Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) accepted the decision a day after, but smaller parties are still divided over who to support for the slot.
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and nationalist parties from Balochistan remained busy till Wednesday trying to muster support for their nominees for the post.
The PML-N initially floated the idea of nominating National Party (NP) chief Senator Hasil Bizenjo for the post. But PML-Q is lobbying for Robina Irfan, JUI-F for Ghafoor Haideri and Balochistan National Party-Mengal for Dr Jamaldini.
Despite several rounds of talks, the situation remained fluid till late Wednesday night.
Following the meeting of opposition parties at PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s residence, senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah told reporters that a name for the deputy chairman will be finalised by morning today (Thursday) before the polls.
Upon his election, the Senate chairman will also assume charge as acting president of Pakistan as President Mamnoon Hussain is on a four-day visit abroad.
Interestingly, this would mean that three different individuals have served as acting president in a span of just 12 hours – Nayyar Bukhari, whose term as Senate chairman expired Wednesday midnight, was succeeded as acting president by the National Assembly speaker. The latter will hold the post till the new Senate chairman is elected.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2015.