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Sunday, April 14, 2024

Chairman Senate Election: Is PML-Q going to vote for PDM’s candidate?

After winning a seat from Islamabad, the PDM leadership plans to win the Senate Chairman election as well. Will the PML-Q support the PDM-backed candidate?

Pakistan Muslim League-Q on Sunday refused to vote for the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidates for Senate chairman and deputy chairman elections, local media reported on Sunday.

The PPP delegation comprised of Bilawal Bhutto, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Jameel Soomro held meeting with PML-Q leadership to get support for the PDM in the Senate chairman and deputy chairman elections.

During the meeting, the Chaudhry brothers refused to vote for the PDM candidate in the upcoming Senate chairman poll. “PML-Q is an ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and will vote government-backed candidate Sadiq Sanjrani for Senate chairman slot,” Chaudhry brothers told Bilawal.

The PPP chairman today reached the residence of the Chaudhry brothers and met with Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujat Hussain. Bilawal Bhutto also inquired about the health of the ailing PML-Q chief.

During the meeting, matters pertaining to the upcoming Senate chairman election and the overall political situation were discussed.

Read more: Will PTI investigate against its MNAs who voted for Yousaf Raza Gillani?

PML-Q’s Tariq Bashir Cheema, Moonis Elahi, Salik Hussian and Hussain Elahi were also present during the meeting.

Race for Senate chairman

After Senate polls 2021, all eyes are now set on the coming election for the key offices of chairman and deputy chairman of the upper house.

The PTI’s tally in the Senate stands at 25. Government allies, BAP has a total of 12 seats in the Senate and MQM-P three.

The opposition and the ruling alliances now have 53 and 47 members, respectively, in the 100-member new Senate. The election to elect the Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be held on March 12 through secret balloting.

Since the PPP candidate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, won the Senate Election on March 3, there have been speculations that the same person may become the Chairman Senate. The ruling party does not have a majority in the upper house of the parliament but desires to have its candidate elected as the chairman.

Moral corruption in Pakistan

In Pakistan, there has been a discussion on several public platforms about the role of the Election Commission to hold free and fair elections.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the videos showing the shameful way in which politicians buy and sell votes in Senate reflects the total destruction of the nation’s morality by successive ruling elites as they drowned the nation in debt.

According to details, in a series of tweets PM Imran said that cycle of corruption and money laundering is a sordid tale of our political elite. He said that they spend money to come into power and then use political power to make money to purchase bureaucrats, media, and other decision-makers to consolidate their power and rob the nation’s wealth adding that then they launder looted money into offshore accounts and purchase foreign assets and palatial residences abroad.

He said that this is what the PDM cabal wants to now protect by supporting a corruption-friendly system. We are determined to stop this cycle of corruption and money laundering that is debilitating the nation, he added,