Gillani, Sanjrani's nomination papers for Senate chairman slot accepted

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, who is a joint candidate of the 11-party opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), and Sadiq Sanjrani, candidate of the coalition government, have filed their nomination papers for the coveted slot of Senate chairman.

The PDM’s candidate Maulana Ghafoor Haideri and the government’s Mirza Muhammad Afridi also filed their nomination papers for the Senate deputy chairman slot.

Also Read: ‘Spy cameras’ found in polling booth ahead of crucial Senate chairman election

Subsequently, a presiding officer accepted the nomination papers of all candidates after scrutiny.

Talking to ARY News after filing his papers, Sanjrani expressed the hope that he would win the election for the top seat of the Upper House of Parliament.

On the other hand, Gillani, responding to journalists’ questions at Parliament House, said: “We have already won.”

Also Read: Opposition installed ‘spy cameras’ in Senate: Shibli Faraz

The opposition alliance has lead of three votes on the government and its allies in the 100-member House as the opposition has 53 senators, while the government and its allies have 47 members.

Senator Ishaq Dar won’t be able to cast his ballot and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), which has one senator in the house also refused to cast vote, due to which, the number of the opposition’s votes will be reduced to 51 while the number of the government senators has increased to 48 after independent senator Abdul Qadir joined the PTI Wednesday.