Yousaf Raza Gillani, a former prime minister from the People’s Party, was elected unopposed as the chairman of the Senate.
In a parallel development, the candidate from PML-N for the position of Deputy Chairman of the Senate, Syedal Khan Nasir, also secured his office without contest in the election.
This outcome emerged because no opposition party candidates challenged Gillani and Nasir, the ruling coalition’s favoured nominees for these key Senate roles.
Earlier today, 43 newly elected Senators were sworn into office at the Parliament House in Islamabad, with Presiding Officer Senator Ishaq Dar overseeing the oath-taking ceremony. Notable individuals among the oath-takers included Yousaf Raza Gilani, Ahad Cheema, Anwaarul Haq, Hamid Khan, Mohsin Naqvi, Anousha Rehman, Ishaq Dar, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Allama Nasir Abbas.
The session, led by Senator Ishaq Dar, encountered disruptions from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members who protested and called for the house’s adjournment until the election of senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was completed. PTI leader Senator Ali Zafar, addressing the floor, argued for postponing the election, labelling any proceeding in the incomplete house unconstitutional, and criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan for controversial decisions.
In rebuttal, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar dismissed the claims of unconstitutional proceedings, asserting that the house was fully functional for its intended purposes. He also accused PTI of hindering the election process for lawmakers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leading to a postponement by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
