The Senate will meet today (Monday) to elect new Chairman and Deputy Chairman after administering oath to 54 new Senators-elect. The ruling coalition has nominated Senator Nayyar Hussain Bokhari and Senator Sabir Baloch for the slot of Chairman and Deputy coalition has overwhelming majority in the Upper House.
Senator Ishaq Dar of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is expected to be the opposition leader, as PML-N has emerged as the largest opposition party in the Senate following the March 2 elections.
After the refusal of Senator Raza Rabbani, the names of Aitzaz Ahsan and Babar Awan are being discussed for the new leader of the House. President Asif Ali Zardari has designated Senator Afrasiab Khattak to preside over the session, who would administer oath to the newly-elected Senators.
The members after taking oath would elect the new Chairman to the Senate. The Presiding officer would administer the oath to the Chairman who would subsequently conduct the election for Deputy Chairman.
The number of seats of the Upper House has been increased from 100 to 104 under the 18th Constitutional Amendment and for the first time four minority members, one from each province, have been elected to the House.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan People's Party (Sherpao), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) would have no more representation in Senate, as their members have retired after completion of their tenure and could not re-elect. After the recent Senate elections, Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians has emerged as the majority party in the House with 41 members followed by PML-N with 14 and ANP with 12 members.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.