Senate chairman, voting underway: Tough competition between PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq and PPP, PTI’s Sanjrani

Senate chairman, voting underway: Tough competition between PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq and PPP, PTI’s Sanjrani

Islamabad (Staff Report): Tough competition is expected between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Sadiq Sanjrani, and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its allies candidate Raja Zafarul Haq for Senate Chairman.

The election for Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be held at 4.00pm. The voting for the candidates will be held in secret.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz PML-N and its allies have nominated Raja Zafarul Haq as Chairman Senate.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on late Sunday announced his party’s support for Sadiq Sanjrani for the post of Senate chairman.

While talking to the Media on late Sunday, Bilawal said the PPP’s candidate for the post of Senate chairman will be Sanjrani and its own senator Saleem Mandviwala will contest for deputy chairman’s seat in the upper house of the Parliament.

Sadiq Sanjrani has been proposed by Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bazinjo and backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will contest against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) and its allies parties’ candidate for the post of Senate chairman.

Nawaz had proposed that the party would support Rabbani's re-election as Senate chairman but the PPP dismissed the move.

Earlier, at least 51 newly-elected senators and Dr Asad Ashraf have sworn in during a session in the Upper House on Monday.

At least 52 senators secured their respective seats of the upper house after elections on March 3 and Dr Asad Ashraf elected on a seat vacated after PML-N's senator Nehal Hashmi's disqualification in court contempt case. However, former finance minister Ishaq Dar could not take oath as he was in London for medical treatment.