Days after senators of the opposition parties submitted a no-confidence resolution against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its allied parties on Friday moved a no-confidence motion against Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala.
The motion, signed by 26 senators, has been submitted in the Senate Secretariat, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz told reporters. The senators have demanded Mandviwalla’s removal under Rule 12 (Removal of Chairman or Deputy Chairman) of the Rules of Procedure in Conduct of Business in the Senate and Article 61, read along with Article 53(7)(c).
Khattak says there is no reason to remove Sanjrani from his office
Talking to reporters, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said following the opposition’s step to remove Sanjrani, members of government had a meeting with the prime minister. “Our stance is that when they did not honour our votes [that were cast in favour of Sanjrani] and withdrew their support for the Senate chairman, we will also withdraw our support for the deputy chairman,” he said, adding that Sanjrani had run the Upper House with ‘dignity’ for the past one and a half year and that there was no reason to remove him. He also denied allegations of horse trading, saying that 15-20 members in Senate are completely independent.
Reacting to the no-confidence motion against him, Senate Deputy Chairman Mandviwalla said, “If members of the Senate think I should not remain in office, I will step down happily.” He added that some senators had told him that they were ‘told to sign the resolution’. “This has never happened in the Senate before … this is a strange tradition that is not good for Senate,” he remarked.
Reports suggested that Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz held meetings with Senate members from the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to seek their support on the no-confidence motions. Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly suggested to Sanjrani to stand firm in order to make the no-confidence motion unsuccessful. In a meeting with Sanjrani on Thursday, the prime minister had assured the Senate chairman of his party’s all-out support and vowed to foil the no-confidence motion against him.
Deputy chairman says he is ready to step down ‘happily’
The joint opposition’s Rehbar Committee had on Thursday named Hasil Bizenjo as candidate for the post of Senate chairman. Ousted prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif also expressed confidence in nominating the National Party (NP) leader.
“I appreciate that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has placed his trust in me,” Bizenjo had told PML-N leaders at a meeting at the opposition leader’s chambers in Parliament. “I am extremely grateful for being nominated by the PML-N,” he said. “I hope to deliver on the expectations of the opposition parties,” he added.
In March last year, in a major blow to the then ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Sanjrani was elected the Senate chairman with the support of PTI, PPP and a bloc of independent lawmakers.
