Pakistan

Raza Rabbani takes oath as Senate chairman

JUI-F's Abdul Ghafoor Haideri takes oath as deputy chairman Senate

Web Desk March 12, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

Senator Raza Rabbani took oath as chairman of the Upper House of Parliament on Thursday, Express News reported.

“…I hope to come up to the expectations of those who have bestowed upon me this enormous responsibility,” said Rabbani before the oath-taking ceremony.

It is for the first time in history that the chairman Senate soon after taking oath will take charge as the acting president, as Mamnoon Hussain is on a foreign visit to Azerbaijan.

Express News screen grab of the oath-taking ceremony.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Rabbani on being unanimously elected as chairman Senate.

The premier said that the consensus reached in Senate elections shows how the roots of democracy have been strengthened in the country.

Rabbani was elected unopposed as no other candidate submitted their nomination papers till 12 pm.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Ghafoor Hyderi took oath as deputy chairman of Senate.

He won against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shibli Faraz.

Early morning discussions and negotiations pertaining to the Senate's deputy chairman position, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri had been nominated for the post.

After much deliberation in the sessions and after consultations with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Senator Ishaq Dar said that the position would be allotted to a member of the JUI-F from Balochistan as suggested by Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah.

PM Nawaz will make the final decision regarding the post.

Read: Senate elections: Last-gasp lobbying for deputy chair’s slot

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has also decided to contest the elections for the Senate deputy chairperson post, nominating Syed Shibli Faraz, Hafiz Hamdullah and Jahanzaib Jamaldani for the slot.

However, later in the day Jamaldini withdrew his nomination for deputy chairman senate.

The newly-elected senators took oath in the session this morning administered by Dar.

Read: Senate elections: Zardari outwits PML-N, wins support of JUI-F

COMMENTS (11)

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: While naming handlers your legs may convulse with fear, are they not those frequently commemorated in remarks "a symbol of pride for the nation",

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: time never changes reality, raza rabbani a man a of zero courage, likely to succumb any order from their bosses Mr. 10 percent and corrupt lot, with the passage of time hijacking of this system is unlikely and would require vibrant forces to let that be dismantled, fraud of jumhurit is being played with peoples of zero sense only with some erudite laced with political maturity and are unlikely to support this corrupt system, is there any one to dismantle this rotten system would be warmly welcomed, today even tomorrow and after years to get all of them to their real destination which is not any more a gulf state but jail

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just_someone | 9 years ago | Reply Some of you seem to not understand symbolism.. Of course PTI knew their person was not going to get elected. They did this to make a point that democracy is not amount holding hands and singing kumbaya, its about having a strong government and a strong opposition that keeps the government in line... Im a little surprised since some of those who commented seem educated enough to get this...

Abid Shah | 9 years ago | Reply This sentence of Mr. Crocodile tears says it all {“…I hope to come up to the expectations of those who have bestowed upon me this enormous responsibility,” said Rabbani before the oath-taking ceremony.} - People will say "I hope to come up to the expectations of PEOPLE ..." but Mr. Crocodile will say ".. expectations of those (Zardari and co) who have bestowed upon me this responsibility". May Allah Bless Pakistani people.

Jibran | 9 years ago | Reply Imran Khan is the most confused person with the most distorted logic. Its okay for him to nominate its candidates with mere 7 votes in a house of 100 but its mukmuka if others do the same with 5 votes in constituencies that required 17 votes to win. Odds of 7/50 give higher morality to him than the odds of 5/17.

pervaiz | 9 years ago | Reply Very strange........ how can IK can get his candidate elected while having only 5 votes in senate. whether there will horse trading now.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply A good omen & a massive slap on those ugly faces and their behind the scenes handlers who wanted to bundle democracy with the help of an "Umpire."

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Well well well.......the fan club party first drags the whole system and the parliament through dirt by casting aspersions and disparaging the whole system from on top of a container by calling it a den of rigged, corrupt, loan defaulters, fake degree holders, tax evaders and murderers. Lo and behold, not only did this joke of a party contest the senate election but it also took part in the chairman and deputy chair elections!! The hypocrisy just does not end there. PTI through Shireen Mazari filed a petition in IHC last week pleading that the contest for chairman and deputy should be put off. On a lighter now, PTI was asking on how PPP can contest senate elections when it only had 5 MPAs in KPK assembly. Now an even bigger question is, how can a cult following gang even think about taking part in chairman and deputy chair elections with only 6 senators.

SK | 9 years ago | Reply Shame shame! People of Pakistan, Pml N, PPP, ANP and JUI-F nexus at work, open your eyes please!

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply ....and the religious right, gain more ground.

Joel | 9 years ago | Reply These politicians are so efficient and happy to give and take when it comes to jobs and perks for themselves. Only if they could show more understanding, flexibility and clarity when it comes to real issues facing Pakistan; Extremism, Education and things like Kalabagh dam!

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