ISLAMABAD – Pakistan People’s Party Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari yesterday claimed that the government’s candidate for Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had promised to join the PPP when he was first elected for the top Senate slot.
“No one knows why we voted for Sadiq Sanjrani as Senate chairman. At that time, some of our colleagues from Punjab thought that we cannot be partner in politics with the PML-N. Independent Senator, Sadiq Sanjrani came to my house at that time and asked me to help in getting him elected as Chairman Senate. Sadiq Sanjrani told me that he will join PPP after being elected chairman Senate. Sanjrani was ready to take oath on Quran in front of me to join PPP,” Bilawal said.
Speaking at a reception hosted by Senator Islamuddin Sheikh here, Bialwal said Sanjrani later changed his mind.
PPP Central President for Women’s Wing and Member Sindh Assembly Faryal Talpur also attended the dinner. Raja Pervez Ashraf, Farhatullah Babar, Naveed Qamar, Faisal Karim Kundi, Abdul Qadir Patel, Saad Rafique, Latif Khosa, Amjad Afridi, Noman Sheikh and Arsalan Sheikh were among the guests. Pakistan Democratic Movement panel members Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Abdul Ghafoor Haideri also attended the dinner.
The PPP chief said: “I forbade Sanjrani from taking oath on Quran and said that his words are trusted, on the basis of which he got support in the Senate; Sadiq Sanjrani did not keep his promise.”
Bilawal said that government spokespersons were constantly trying to drag institutions into politics by declaring Sadiq Sanjrani as the state’s candidate. He said the Pakistan Democratic Movement will oppose the government in the Senate.
“It has been decided that under no circumstances will the chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate be from PTI. It is in the interest of the country to allow politicians to play their positive role. If a PDM panel is elected in the Senate, then Yousuf Raza Gilani and Abdul Ghafoor Haideri will also take care of the Senators of opposition political parties,” the PPP Chairman said.
The Senators will elect the chairman and deputy chairman today (March 12). The government’s nominee, Sadiq Sanjrani, the incumbent Senate chairman is vying for a second term, Pakistan Democratic Movement’s Yousaf Raza Gillani, a former prime minister, is contesting against Sanjrani.
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