Tight Race Between Gillani-Sanjrani For Senate Chairmanship

After the Senate elections, it would be another challenge for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to get their candidates including Sadiq Sanjrani and Yusuf Raza Gillani respectively to occupy the pilot seat in the upper house.

Although the opposition parties are ahead in numbers as compared to the ruling party, the display of unity will be important to finish the task and take lead over the government or else it might face the same fate as Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) in 2018 elections.

PTI has nominated incumbent Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani for the office again while Yusuf Raza Gillani would be the joint candidate of PDM.

The government coalition has 47 votes while PDM has a lead of six votes, 53, in the hung Senate comprising 100 seats. However, the membership of PML-N’s Ishaq Dar was suspended which makes actual number of members to be 99.

History in making and norms

It would be just the second time in the parliamentary history that there would be voting for the selection of Senate chairman.

From August 1973 till March 2015, the chairmen of the upper house were elected unanimously and with consultation.

From first Senate chairman Habibullah Khan to seventh chairman Raza Rabbani, all were elected unopposed. However, in 2018, the voting was carried out and Sadiq Sanjrani emerged victorious. He aged just 39 years when he sworn in as the Senate chairman.

This time again, the 9th chairman of the upper house will be chosen through votes.

Interestingly, of total 12 Senate chairmen taken the office, most of them hailed from Balochistan. However, no individual has served more than three-year-term.

Impending challenge

The election of the Senate chairman is going to be another tough contest between PDM and the government.

PTI has emerged as the biggest party in the upper house with 25 seats while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) emerged second with 21 seats followed by PML-N with 17 seats.

The government and opposition coalition have not nominated candidates for deputy chairman yet. Meanwhile, the incumbent opposition leader in Senate, PML-N’s Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, is retiring on March 11.

Challenges ahead

Talking to News360, the senior journalist Abdul Razzaq Khatti said that nomination of Sadiq Sanjrani could generate a rift in PTI which could be visible in voting.

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Contrarily, the opposition-backed Gillani holds a strong position.

However, Sanjrani, during his three-year tenure stayed composed and kept the house united.

Legislation to be in a fix

Khatti said even if the government somehow manages to get its candidate on the pilot seat in the upper house, the legislation would still remain a challenge due to the number game.

Importance of the office

The chairmanship of Senate is an important office after the President of Pakistan as the office-holder becomes acting-president in his absence.