Govt delegation meets Senate chairman after opposition's move to remove him

ISLAMABAD: A delegation comprising representatives of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and coalition parties paid a “solidarity” visit to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Friday, two days following the announcement of opposition parties to constitutionally remove him from the post. 

Speaking to media alongside Sanjrani, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr. Fehmida Mirza said they held the meeting with the Senate chairman in order to “strengthen his hands [and] for solidarity”.

Mirza said the government and allied parties’ members believe that Sanjrani was managing the Senate “in a totally neutral and impartial manner which is the role of a chairman Senate or speaker”.

The joint delegation, who called on the Senate chairman in his chamber, included members of the PTI, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, Balochistan Awami Party and Grand Democratic Alliance.

In All Parties Conference (APC) on June 26, nearly all opposition parties decided to adopt a constitutional way to oust Sanjrani as the Senate chairman.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira on Friday said the opposition’s committee will decide its joint candidate for the top office of the Senate with consensus.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Talal Chaudhry has also indicated the opposition parties intention with regard to the change in the Senate.

According to a media report, the joint committee of the opposition parties will likely to pass a resolution advising Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to tender his resignation to avoid a no-confidence move against him in the house.

If the chairman would not resign after the resolution then the opposition parties would move a no-confidence motion against him, opposition sources said.