ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Wednesday said that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will utilise all its political, democratic and legal options to ensure Sadiq Sanjrani’s victory as chairman of the Senate.
The minister reiterated that Prime Minister Imran Khan has a strong commitment to fight against immoral and undemocratic tactics, having previously said that the opposition was harming democracy by using illegal and immoral tactics, including the sale and purchase of votes.
“The opposition parties under the PDM want to bring the incumbent government under pressure,” Faraz maintained, adding, “but Prime Minister Imran Khan will not accept any pressure or be influenced [by them],” he stated earlier on March 7.
The PTI leader reasoned that the reason the ruling party was still functioning was that the party never gave up its ideology for petty gains.
The election of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani as a senator was challenged with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last week.
The petitioner had stated that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate’s win should be declared null and void as the polls were not transparent and further asked the electoral authority to investigate horse-trading in the polls and take action against those responsible.
Meanwhile, Sindh Minister Education, Saeed Ghani has demanded of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take notice of the statement by the federal minister for information.
Twisting the word’s of the federal information minister – particularly his comment on using any means to help re-elect Sanjrani – Ghani, while addressing a press conference at the PPP media centre in Islamabad on Wednesday, said that this statement of Faraz makes clear the ideology of PTI of using illegal means to get success in the elections.
“The PTI is so perplexed after losing Senate seat from Islamabad that they have lost their minds; they are going to every institution to stop Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani from contesting Senate chairman election but are facing defeat from every forum.
“This is because Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani is a candidate of PDM which has clear majority in the Senate,” he said.
He said that PDM candidates for Senate chairman and deputy chairman will win their elections easily and PTI will again lick their wounds.
Ghani said that PTI’s own members have accused their party of awarding party tickets in return of Rs700 million in Balochistan and Rs350 million in Sindh.
He said that the PTI is the same party which used money in its own intra-party elections. Where there is any financial misappropriation in elections, it is evident that some PTI people are involved in it, he added.
Separately, PM Imran on Wednesday assured Senate Chairman Sanjrani of full support of government and its allies for upcoming elections of chairman of upper house of the parliament.
As per details, Sanjrani called on Prime Minister Imran to discuss strategy for Senate chairman and deputy chairman elections that will be held on March 12.
During the meeting, PM Imran said that he is confident that Sanjrani will win the election. He also said that candidate for slot of Senate deputy chairman will also be finalised soon, after consultation with the PTI’s allies.
It is pertinent to mention here that PM Imran had named Sanjrani as candidate for Senate chairman’s office.
On the other hand, PDM on Monday nominated newly-elected PPP Senator Gillani as joint candidate in the forthcoming Senate chairman election.
PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced Gillani’s candidature for the Senate chairman election after a meeting in Islamabad attended by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and others members of the alliance.
While the PTI is trying its best to get its candidate re-elected to the Senate, outgoing senators delivered their farewell speeches in the upper house on Wednesday, wherein they urged for unity to counter various challenges being confronted by the country and said Parliament would ultimately remain supreme.
Speaking in the Senate, the lawmakers who would be completing their tenures on Thursday, March 11, spoke for the last time in the house.
The outgoing Senator, Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi thanked his party for reposing trust in him and said that he always fought the case of Balochistan. “I took up various issues of Balochistan’s people and other parts of the country in the house.” He also thanked other senators for their cooperation during his tenure in the House.
He was of the view that the Senate of Pakistan should be given more powers.
Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini, while sharing his six years of experience in the Senate, said that the members of all the political parties tolerated each others’ point of view with an open heart.
“We need to learn from our mistakes and these should not be repeated again,” he added. He further said that smaller provinces should be given their constitutional rights. He also urged authorities of various institutions to respect each other rights.
He maintained that the parliament would ultimately remain supreme in the country because it was the only option to proceed ahead.
Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar thanked his party for nominating him as a senator for six years. He also thanked his party workers. He appreciated the Senate Chairman Sanjrani for extending support to the Senators for highlighting the Balochistan issue.
He said that he had always fought against the dictatorship and for the restoration of democracy in the country. He added that equal rights should be given to every citizen of the country. Senate of Pakistan should be given powers like National Assembly, he stressed. “I always work for the strengthening of democracy and parliament,” he said.
Khushbakht Shujaat thanked her party for giving her a chance to highlight issues of the people of Karachi in the Senate. She said that all political parties should work jointly for strengthening democracy and Parliament. The outgoing senator said that continuity of democracy was in the best interest of the country.
She underscored that she tried to serve with the best of her capabilities. She requested Prime Minister Imran to focus on the education sector. She also appreciated Chairman Sanjrani and former chairman Mian Raza Rabbani for conducting the proceedings of the house in a cordial atmosphere.
Senator Seemee Ezdi, taking part in the debate, said that it was great time for her in Senate and learned a lot from the house. She also thanked all staff of the upper house and said that all staff was cooperative, adding that Sanjrani has run the House very smoothly.
Senator Nouman Wazir expressed his gratitude to the PTI, who brought him into the Senate. Speaking in the Senate, he said that the government is taking tangible steps to overcome the energy crises in the country. He maintained that electricity theft is a major reason for the country’s issues with load-shedding.
Senator Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qayyum thanked the PML-N for expressing confidence in him, adding that Chairman Sanjrani role was very friendly and neutral.
He said that “all staff of the Senate and my committee was very committed and cooperative with me”. He suggested that offices should be provided to all Senators for research and there should be proper dressing for the upper house.
He also said that the conduct of the Senate chairman and all other members was very decent during my tenure. He suggested that attendance in the standing committees should be improved.
Meanwhile, retiring senator of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Muhammad Ali Saif on Wednesday decided to join PTI.
Barrister Saif, along with the Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, called on Prime Minister Imran Khan at his office. On the occasion, the MQM-P leader showed his consent to join PTI.
Barrister Saif is retiring as a senator on Thursday. He has been a member of the Senate since March 2015. He served as federal minister for tourism, and youth affairs from November 2007 to March 2008 in the caretaker federal cabinet of prime minister Muhammad Mian Soomro.
Earlier on Tuesday, Senator-elect from Balochistan, Abdul Qadir had joined PTI. The announcement was made by Qadir during a meeting with PM Imran in the federal capital.
