Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are lobbying intensely to muster up support of smaller political parties and independents to get their respective chairman and deputy chairman Senate elected, though candidates are yet to be finalized for March 12 election. The sources further said that a joint meeting of the PML-N and its coalition partners would be held today (Wednesday) in Islamabad to deliberate upon the possible candidates for the top Senate slots and the strategy for the elections scheduled for March 12.
They said that Nawaz Sharif may take the coalition partners into confidence on the nominees for the office of the chairman and deputy chairman. So far two nominees including Ishaq Dar and Pervez Rashid have emerged, the sources said. However, they are not final and other candidates in consultation with the coalition partners could also be fielded for the race.
In another development, out of eight independent senators from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), three members including Senator Taj Mohammad Afridi, senators-elect Mirza Afridi and Shameem Afridi have assured their support to the PML-N during a meeting with Nawaz Sharif.
Taj Afridi is the younger brother of MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi and they have old business ties with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Sources claimed that the Prime Minister has promised the lucrative slot of Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Shah Jee Gul Afridi in return of winning support of all senators from FATA.
However, the remaining five senators including Hidayat Ullah, Sajjad Hussain Turi, Hilal-ur-Rehman, Haji Momin Khan Afridi and Aurangzeb Khan have assured their support to the PPP during a meeting with PPP's Senator Saleem Mandviwala and Dr Qayyum Soomro.
After the March 3 election, efforts for top slot of chairman Senate started as no party has gained a simple majority in the House, though the PML-N managed to increase its number to 33. The PML-N is also enjoying support of National Party and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party which both have 5 senators each, one of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and three independents from FATA, taking the tally to 47.
The PPP, which dominated the Upper House with the support of the opposition parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and independents, is upbeat to retain its hold on the House for another three-year terms. Currently, the PPP's number stands at 20 after the party won 12 Senate seats.
The party is eying support of 12 votes of PTI, 4 of JUI-F, 12 independents [six new senators-elect from Balochistan plus a sitting independent senator from the province and five from FATA], two of Jamaat-e-Islami and one each by ANP and Balochistan National Party-Mengal, taking the number to 52.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which has five senators in the House, is yet to explain its position. The MQM-P is in a bargaining position, as in case of voting for PPP, the PPP's number can increase to 57. In case, the MQM-P announces its support to PML-N, it would rise the PML-N tally to 52. However, in the backdoor dialogue with the PTI, the sources said that PPP has offered the office of the deputy chairman to the PTI in return for its support to PPP's nominee for the slot of the chairman.
But, the PTI has forwarded a proposal that it can extend support to PPP if Raza Rabbani is nominated for the office of the chairman, as the PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari wants Sherry Rehman [to be the first woman chairperson if elected] or Salim Mandviwalla as the party's candidate for the top Senate slot.
Talking to Business Recorder, PPP Spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the PPP is yet to officially initiate dialogue process with political parties to muster up their support for the party nominees for the top Senate slots. He, however, said that unofficial channels are continued, adding that the meeting of Salim Mandviwalla and Dr Qayyum Soomro with FATA senators was also part of that unofficial contacts.
He said that Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah will be back in Islamabad today (Wednesday) and a meeting of the party will be held to discuss future course of action with regard to election of the chairman and deputy chairman. To a question, he said that the party leadership has not finalized any candidate yet. However, the names of Salim Mandviwalla, Sherry Rehman and Raza Rabbani are being circulated in media, he added.
"First, the PPP would try to develop consensus with the opposition parties for a joint candidate for the office of the chairman Senate. If a consensus is evolved on the candidates, they would be announced accordingly," he added.
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