PPP's real show of strength: Bukhari, Baloch elected unopposed on two top Senate posts

Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari of ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was unanimously elected new chairman of 104-member Senate after 54 newly-elected senators took oath Monday. The house also elected unopposed Sabir Ali Baloch, a PPP senator from Balochistan, deputy chairman, as no opposition party over-awed by an overwhelming majority of PPP and its allies fielded its candidate.
Senator Afrasiab Khattak of Awami National Party (ANP), who presided over the session, announced their unopposed election. Khattak administered oath to the newly elected chairman, Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, who later administered oath to Sabir Baloch for the office of deputy chairman. The senators were elected last month following their retirement after they completed their 6-year term. Four seats for minorities, one from each province also added to 100-member Senate in the parliamentary history of Pakistan after the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Earlier, after the session was resumed, Afrasiab Khattak took oath from the newly elected 54 senators. After taking oath, the members put their signatures on the roll of members. Wearing a red muffler, the newly-elected senator of ANP, Shahi Syed entered the house and took the seat next to his political rival Senator Colonel Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi (Retd) of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
During the session the galleries were full of PPP diehards. The house echoed to slogans such as 'jeay Bhutto', 'BB Zinda hei', 'Eik Zardari, sub pei bhari', "Sheron ka shikari, Zardari', 'Khatron ka khilari, Zardari', 'Agli bari, phir Zardari', 'Zardari tera eik ishara, hazir lahu hamara'. The PML-N Senator, Zafar Ali Shah, objected to sloganeering arguing that it was against the dignity of house. He stage a token walkout from the house to register his protest.
Meanwhile PPP chief whip in Senate, Islamuddin Sheikh tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to soothe party workers. The PPP new Senator from Sindh Syed Ghani raised 'Jiyei Bhutto' slogan soon after he put his signature on the roll of members. Senator Farhatullah Babar said the PPP government had given a clear message to the world about a bright future of democracy in Pakistan by electing genuine political workers as chairman and deputy chairman of Senate.
"All the political parties have shown confidence in the unopposed election of Bukhari and Baloch, which reflects political maturity," he said. Now the responsibility rests on our shoulders ... whether we will be able to shift foreign policy making job from the GHQ to parliament. Let us pledge that we must play our role to strengthen this house, according to him. President Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid Chaudhary Shujjat Hussain, said although various types of tricks were played to postpone Senate elections, President Zardari showed magnanimity and perseverance to defeat all negative tactics.
ANP Senator Haji Adeel said the constitutional bar that no non-Muslim could become president or prime minister should be abolished. "They are equal citizens as Muslims and play an important role in the development of country," he added. Senator Aitzaz Ahsan also called for equal rights for the minorities, arguing that the contribution of non-Muslim citizens, especially the Hindus, could not be ignored.
"The words 'minority' is a bit awkward...at least I won't use this word from today onwards. The first law minister of Pakistan JN Mandal was a Hindu. Whether it is J N Mandal or Justice Rana Bhagwandas [and] the list goes on...so these [minority] people are Quaid-i-Azam's trustworthy people, they must not be ignored," he added.
Expressing concern over the recovery of mutilated bodies in Balochistan, Aitzaz said that talks were the only way forward to resolve the Balochistan issue. According to him, there is a need to do legislation to define the role of spy agencies and this should be the top priority of the incumbent Senate. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said power had been completely shifted to the elected representatives of people. "It is a very auspicious day...it is a very good omen for the Senate," he added.
Senator Mustafa Kamal of MQM said that the advantage of being one of the nuclear powers is became meaningless if the country failed to take care of people at grassroots level. About the Baloch unrest, he said the government was required to fulfil some of its commitments made with the Baloch people. Only then can it invite the disgruntled Baloch to the negotiations table according to him.