ISLAMABAD – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday stepped down as the leader of the Opposition in the Senate after his absence led to the passage of the State Bank (Amendment) Bill 2021 in the Upper House of the Parliament.
“I have submitted my resignation to my party; I do not want to be the Opposition leader anymore,” Gilani said while addressing on the floor of the Senate.
During the session, 12 members were absent, including eight members of the Opposition, two of the government and two from independent candidate Dilawar Khan’s group.
Gilani said, “It was not appropriate to add the bill to the agenda late night. This was such an important agenda; we should have been given more time to mull over it. The House is taken into confidence over such important matters related to the national interest, but unfortunately, this wasn’t the case.”
The PPP leader said the bill was not sent to the relevant standing committee, as he highlighted that bills are debated over in the committees — and as a result, lawmakers reach consensus over a matter.
Gilani said speakers and chairman are the representatives and custodians of the House. Therefore, the role of these officers should be unbiased, the PPP leader said.
“The chairman suspended the Senate session for [a mere 30 minutes]. You facilitated the government, not the Opposition,” Gillani told Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani.
