Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have sped up their contacts with small parties and the independent candidates, who have won seats in Senate elections, to get their backing for chairmanship.
Islamabad , (Pakistan Point News - 06th Mar, 2018) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have sped up their contacts with small parties and the independent candidates, who have won seats in Senate elections, to get their backing for chairmanship. Political analysts say that the opposition parties are united on one point that they would not allow the PML-N to get its candidate elected as Chairman Senate. Nawaz Sharif had headed PML-N meeting in which independent senator from FATA Mirza Afridi joined PML-N.
PML-N leaders also reached out to PkMAP, NP and JUI. PML-N is trying to secure the support of 7 senators from Balochistan, with 6 belonging to its allies and one independent. The Pakhtunkhua Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) on Tuesday assured PML-N of its complete support in the upcoming Senate elections for the slot of chairman. The PML-N is also trying to woo Jamaat-i-Islami votes and talks are underway between the top leaders of both the parties.
The National Party of Dr Abdul Malik Baloch is also certain to support the PML-N. The situation to approach for the MQM-P votes is confusing for both the parties as the rifts among the Bahadurabad and PIB faction has divided the rank and file of the party and could also affect the Senators of the party. "The PPP and PML-N are confused as to who would be approached for the party votes whether Farooq Sattar or Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui," they said adding that it is likely that party senators would be approached individually.
The MQM is likely to go for the PML-N as both the factions are highly annoyed with the PPP for wooing its MPAs and getting PPP candidates elected as Senator. PPP also seems to be in action as it offers the post of Deputy Chairman to senators from Balochistan. PPP supreme Asif Ali Zardari has claimed that the PPP would again succeeded in getting its candidate elected as Chairman. Qayyum Soomro, close confidant of Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday met six FATA Senators who reportedly agreed to support the PPP.
Qayyum Soomro also met JUI(F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The JUI(F) has four members in the upper house and has been enjoying good relations with both the PML-N and the PPP. The Party is in coalition government at the centre while during last Senate Chairman elections, it manoeuvred the post of Deputy Chairman. Maulana Fazlur Rehman who is recognised by every one as a sharp politician is once again playing his cards secretly to get maximum benefit by atleast getting the post of Deputy Chairman once again for Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri.
Meanwhile, PTI has supported the demand of electing Senate chairman from Balochistan. Following the election, the overall strength shows 33 PML-N-backed candidates, 20 PPP candidates, 15 independent candidates, 12 PTI candidates, five candidates of MQM, PkMAP and NP each, four candidates of JUI-F, two candidates of JI, and one candidate from each of the PML-F, ANP and Balochistan National Party-Mengal in the house of 104 members. 53 votes are needed for Chairman and Deputy Chairman.
