PTI submits no-confidence motion against Senate deputy chairman

The motion was submitted by PTI Senator Shibli Faraz and others in the Senate secretariat.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Amid opposition’s efforts to remove incumbent Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday has submitted a no-confidence motion against Senate deputy chairman Saleem Mandviwalla - belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). In a counter reaction to the opposition’s Rahbar committee decision regarding nomination of National Party’s (NP) Hasil Bizenjo as its candidate for Senate chairmanship, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz submitted the no-confidence motion signed by 26 senators in the Senate secretariat.

Shibli Faraz said that the opposition parties should have taken care of the post they are holding before submitting the resolution against Sadiq Sanjrani. Meanwhile, responding to the motion, deputy chairman Mandviwalla said that he is not depressed over the no-trust movement against him. Earlier, Rehbar Committee’ – the anti-government alliance of the opposition parties – had nominated NP’s Hasil Bizenjo as its candidate for the chairmanship of the Senate. The committee convener Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) leader Akram Khan Durrani said, “All opposition parties will vote for Bizenjo,” adding that after much analysis of the current political situation this decision was taken. The opposition parties also mulled over the names of Mir Kabir Khan and Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senators Raja Zafarul Haq and Pervez Rashid for the post. The members also devised a joint strategy for launching a protest campaign against the government on July 25 – the day the opposition has termed as the “black day”. Sources told that joint opposition parties have the required majority in the Senate to de-seat the senate chairman – as in the 104-member house, from the current 103 members; the support of only 53 senators is required for the senate chairmanship. The opposition parties collectively have the support of 65 senators.