ISLAMABAD: Pakistan peoples party’s Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has been declared Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan. Senate Secretariat issued notification of his appointment today 26 March.
یوسف رضا گیلانی سینیٹ میں قائد حزب اختلاف مقرر, سینیٹ سیکریٹریٹ نے نوٹی فیکیشن جاری کردیا pic.twitter.com/86bUNNbtgY
— WAQAR SATTI 🇵🇰 (@waqarsatti) March 26, 2021
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The PPP has filed the request for the post of Senate Opposition leader amid differences among the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) component parties for the office.
Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani earlier today filed the nomination papers for the slot, according to pictures shared by PPP Senator Rubina Khalid on Twitter.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani files the papers for becoming the leader of opposition in senate with the support of 30 senators.🌺 pic.twitter.com/Una6qDoYqX
— Senator Rubina khalid (@RubinakhalidPPP) March 26, 2021
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has secured the support of 30 Opposition senators for the prized post which has been a matter of contention between the PML-N and the PPP.
“PPP’s request had the signatures of 21 senators from the party, two from the ANP, one from the Jamat-e-Islami, two from erstwhile Fata, and four members of the upper house from Dilawar Khan’s independent group.” Senator Sheri Rehman said to the media after submitting the request.
Speaking on reports of the contentious issue spelling doom for the Opposition alliance, Sherry Rehman said the move was not the PDM’s funeral but the PPP’s right.
Yousuf Raza Gillani said that he was not aware how many senators are supporting him, Sherry Rehman has called him here.
As per the rules, the Chairman Senate declares a member as Leader of the Opposition having the support of the majority of the members in opposition within 15 days of the election of chairman and deputy chairman.
The two main Opposition parties — the PPP and the PML-N are at loggerheads over the matter with Maryam Nawaz saying multiple times that the PDM leaders had decided that the Senate chairman would be from the PPP, deputy chairman from the JUI-F and the Opposition leader’s slot would go to PML-N.
PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had also said that PML-N should get the post and reportedly talked to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to respect the decision taken by the PDM leaders.
The PPP, however, responded by saying the situation is no more the same after the March 12 debacle in which Gillani lost the election despite having the majority in the upper house.
