Bilawal Bhutto Zardari refuses to accept Yousaf Raza Gillani's resignation

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has refused to accept the resignation of Yousaf Raza Gillani as the Opposition Leader in the Senate, ARY News reported on Monday.

Sources told ARY News that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari refused to accept Gillani’s resignation. The PPP chairman said that Gillani gave exemplary services for democracy in the country.

Bilawal backed Gillani’s statement that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) amendment bill was passed by the Upper House following a nexus between the federal government and the Senate chairman.

He said that PPP is the only political party in which the elected representatives presented themselves for accountability and Gillani has always struggled for democracy.

Earlier, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Yousuf Raza Gilani announced that he has submitted his resignation as the opposition leader in the Senate to his party leadership.

Speaking on the floor of the Upper House of Parliament, the former prime minister slammed Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani for voting in favour of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Amendment Bill, 2021.

“It happened for the first time in the country’s history that the Senate chairman voted [in the government’s favour]. You are the custodian of the house and not the government. You should be impartial,” he went on.

Yousuf Raza Gilani said the notice his office received about the Senate session made no mention of the bill that was going to be tabled for voting. Issuing the session’s agenda late at night was uncalled for, he added.

“I don’t want to serve as the opposition leader anymore and have submitted my resignation to the party,” the PPP leader said.

The Senate had passed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Amendment Bill on Friday with a razor-thin majority. The bill was presented by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin amid protest by the opposition members. 44 senators, including the Senate chairman, voted in favour of the bill while 43 voted against it.

The opposition leaders had launched criticism against Yousaf Raza Gillani for his absence from the crucial Senate session.