ISLAMABAD: Opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani has been defeated and his opponent Sadiq Sanjrani elected as chairman Senate.
In the election for the Chairman Senate of Pakistan, 98 out of 99 senators cast their votes while Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami did not cast his vote. Gilani bagged 42 votes, while Sanjrani won the election receiving 48 valid votes.
Previous Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani re-elected as chair of the Pakistani Parliament’s upper house, while Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi elected as the Deputy Chairman Senate.
In Senate elections, Yousuf Raza Gilani had defeated Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, after which the PDM nominated him as a candidate for the slot of Chairman Senate.
It is to mention that “installation of spy cameras” inside polling booth caused outrage in the upper house on the eve of chairman Senate election on Friday. Raza Rabbani, the central opposition leader termed the installation of secret cameras as a clear violation of article 226 of the Constitution.
The presiding officer issued directives that the current polling booth should be removed, another should be set up afresh. While speaking at a press conference, Information Minister Shibli Faraz vowed to investigate the incident.
Mr Faraz said that the PTI’s stance has always been clear and is in front of the people, adding that a new polling booth should be set up. “The opposition had conspired to install the cameras,” he said.