Yousaf Raza Gillani elected unopposed as Senate chairman

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and People’s Party stalwart Yousaf Raza Gillani was elected unopposed as the Chairman of the Senate, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

PML-N’s candidate for deputy chairman Senate Syedal Khan Nasir was also returned uncontested in the election.

No candidate of opposition parties had filed nomination papers against Yousaf Raza Gillani and Nasir, who were the ruling alliance’s candidates for the Senate presiding offices.

Earlier today, 43 newly elected Senators took oath of office at the Parliament House in Islamabad.

Presiding Officer Senator Ishaq Dar administered the oath.

Yousaf Raza Gilani, Ahad Cheema, Anwaarul Haq, Hamid Khan, Mohsin Naqvi, Anousha Rehman, Ishaq Dar, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Allama Nasir Abbas and other prominent persons took oath of the office.

When the session began today with Senator Ishaq Dar as the presiding officer, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members launched the protest and demanded adjournment of the house till the election of senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking on the floor of the house, PTI leader Senator Ali Zafar demanded the election be deferred as the process would be unconstitutional till the house is complete.

He also blamed the Election Commission of Pakistan for making controversial decisions.

In response to the objections raised by the opposition members, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that nothing is unconstitutional happening here today and that the house is complete for all functional purposes.

He also blamed the PTI for creating obstacles in the election of lawmakers from KP after which polls were postponed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).