ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has succeeded to retain the Post of the Chairmanship of the Senate after no-confidence motion tabled by the joint opposition failed to seal the required votes in the House.
The voting took place in a secret ballot, in which out of a total cast votes of 100, 50 were polled in favour of the resolution, 45 in Sadiq Sanjrani’s favour while five votes were rejected.
While announcing the result, the Senator Barrister Muhammad Ali Khan Saif – who presided over today’s sitting of the House at the Parliament House in Islamabad – said that no-confidence resolution didn’t succeed to secure majority of votes; therefore, the resolution stands rejected.
“50 votes were casted in favour of the resolution. The votes required for the resolution to be adopted were 53 and consequently the resolution has been rejected,” Senator Barrister Saif announced.
COC (Charter of Corruption) Union’s last batsman defeated. Kaptaan wins. Balochistan wins. Pakistan wins. Federation wins. Congratulations Sadiq Sanjrani for winning the confidence of the house.
#پاکستان_کی_جیت
It’s somehow Nostalgic 🙂 Recalling a tweet. #NoNRO— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) August 1, 2019
It is worth noting that the joint opposition required 53 votes (51%) to get its no-confidence motion against Sadiq Sanjrani passed in the 103-member Upper House of the Parliament.
Sadiq Sanjrani had been elected as the 8th Chairman of the Senate on Marcy 12, 2018, becoming the youngest and first ever Chairman Senate from Balochistan.
The Leader of the Opposition Senator Raja Zafar ul Haq had moved the no-confidence motion today for the removal of Senator Sadiq Sanjrani from the Office of the Chairman Senate of Pakistan.
As many as 64 Senators had given their consent in favour of the motion.
“Whereas Senator Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has ceased to command confidence of majority of members of Senate as Chairman, House resolves and declares that Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has ceased to hold office of Chairman, Senate of Pakistan,” the no-confidence resolution stated.
No-confidence motion against Saleem Mandviwalla also fails
The Senate also rejected another no-confidence motion tabled by the treasury benches against the Deputy Chairman of the Senate Saleem Mandviwala.
The motion received 32 votes in its favour, falling short of 21 to oust Saleem Mandviwala from the post. Most of the opposition members didn’t participate in the voting process.
Since no-confidence motions were to be tabled against both the Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and the Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala; therefore, Senator Barrister Muhammad Ali Khan Saif – nominated by President Dr Arif Alvi – presided over the sitting of the House.
The opposition parties including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), National Party (NP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Awami National Party (ANP) had a total of 67 members in the Senate.
Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) – which had two Senators – had already announced to abstain the voting; therefore, both of their members Sirajul Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed didn’t appear in today’s session.
On the other hand, treasury benches led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) along with its allies had 36 Senators.
The joint opposition had named the NP President Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo as its candidate for the position of the Chairman Senate if its no-trust motion against Sadiq Sanjrani would have been adopted.
