ISLAMABAD – PPP stalwart and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has been elected as chairman of the Senate and PML-N’s Saidal Khan Nasir was elected deputy-chairman unopposed.
Gilani and Nasir had filed their nomination papers early on Tuesday. No other candidates filed their nomination for the two slots.
The election results were announced after newly-elected members of Senate were sworn in.
The Senate Session is being held at Parliament House in capital as the the house will elect its new chairman and deputy chairman on the vacant posts in the aftermath of oath-taking of newly-elected senators.
The newly-elected members of upper house of parliament will take the oath today in the session, and all members will elect new custodians of the house.
Foreign Minister of Pakistan Senator Ishaq Dar is presiding over the Senate meeting as Presiding Officer.
Despite the Senate elections being held on April 2, the Senate meeting could not be convened within the constitutionally mandated 3 days.
President then called for the first meeting of the Senate on April 9. The swearing-in of members and the election of the chairman and deputy chairman is being held on the same day for the first time in recent years.
PPP named Yousuf Raza Gilani as Chairman Senate.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decided to boycott the election for Senate chairman and deputy chairman. Party leader Ali Zafar in his address called poll ‘uncontitutional’.
The opposition party decided to boycott after meeting of core committee where the party urged for delaying the election owing to the postponement of Senate election in KP.
More to follow…
