No-trust against Senate chairman: Govt effort to woo opposition falls flat

ISLAMABAD: A delegation led by Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz on Wednesday met leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss the opposition’s motion for removal of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.The delegation included Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal, who later told media persons that they came to exchange views with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to convince him to re-evaluate the situation in the Senate and withdraw the resolution against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.They asked the opposition to consider ways to reduce tension with the government over the matters in the Senate.Shibli said further contacts would be made with more political parties in the coming days.He said the basic aim of their meeting was to save the dignity of the Senate.However, he made it clear that the government was ready for election in the Senate.Jamal Kamal said Sadiq Sanjrani belonged to his province and to his party Balochistan National Party (BAP).“We came to Maulana Fazlur Rehman and put our request before him in view of the importance of the Senate.“He said the present situation in the Senate would affect the sanctity of the institution.“If the current situation continues, it would create similar problems in future as well,” he said.He said he was hopeful that Maulana Fazlur Rehman would play a constructive and positive role.To a question, Jam said that the treasury benches had also moved a resolution against Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala, a Senator from Pakistan People’s Party.Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the decision to bring a no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was taken during the All Parties Conference (APC) held under his chairmanship. Post-meeting, Fazlur Rehman told the media that the arrival of Faraz and Kamal at his residence was an honour but not enough, as they did not bring any proposals.The opposition had already come quite far in its journey, the JUI-F chief said, warning to look out for what happened in the future. How it was possible to give in to the governments' wishes when the opposition had jointly come to where they were at present and made their decision, Fazl inquired.More suggestions from the government should be given for consideration of the opposition, he added.Meanwhile, Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan People’s Party in the Senate Senator Sherry Rehman said that government recent meetings and delaying tactics showed that it desperately wanted to avoid visible defeat in the Senate.“Despite all odds and all the attempts of the horse trading, the government could not avoid the defeat in the Senate and could not be able to stop the success of the no-trust motion against the Chairman Senate,” she said in reaction of the government meeting with the opposition Senators.Senator Sherry Rehman said the government was setting new standards of horse-trading to avoid its visible defeat in the Senate. “We have shown numerical strength of 63 Senators and were determined for the success of the no-trust motion against the Chairman Senate and whatever the government does but could not stop us,” she said.The PPP Parliamentary leader said the opposition will use its right of vote on August 1 to remove the chairman Senate and to bring new Chairman who will have a trust of majority of the Upper House of the Parliament.

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